Tribal Youth Conservation Internship

Tribal Youth Conservation Internship

The Southwest Seed Partnership, coordinated by IAE, is working to improve the supply of ecologically appropriate native seed to restore degraded landscapes in New Mexico and Arizona, and do this through many different programs. Our Tribal Youth Internship provides paid opportunities for New Mexico tribal youth to participate in seed collection.

Learn More

As our internship program expands in the future, we will offer job opportunities to conduct surveys for rare and common plants and pollinators, vegetation monitoring, and habitat restoration as well as ecological education internships.

For more information or to inquire about positions contact:

Maria Mullins, Southwest Seed Partnership Coordinator 
[email protected]
505.490.4910 ex. 722

seed harvest
Southwest Seed Harvest

What does the internship look like?

Participants receive training in:

  • Botany and plant identification
  • Native seed collecting and cleaning
  • Plant population mapping and data collection
  • Field safety

What are the program benefits?

  • Networking with conservation partners
  • Working outdoors, seeing new places in NM off the beaten-path
  • Time-off for cultural events
  • Resume building for jobs in natural resources fields

What does a typical day look like?

  • Meet at office & plan collection week ahead.
  • Load truck with gear, drive to sites
  • Hike and scout for priority plants.
  • Press and properly identify plant specimens, GPS locations, collect soil samples.
  • Check readiness of seed, collect seed knowing that it will eventually be returned to NM landscapes!
  • Work days are typically 10 hours long, with some occasional overnight camping at sites more than 2 hours away from the base