Hello! My name is Emma Jones and I am so excited to be working at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge for the Spring of 2022!  I am originally from Nashville, Tennessee but have been fortunate enough to live in many parts of the country including California, Georgia, and North Carolina and even outside of the country in Italy. From a young age, I became curious about the world around me and took any opportunity to explore outside in the wooded areas of Tennessee or the Mojave Desert of California. I quickly became interested in biology and wanted to learn more. In middle school, I went to a marine science camp off the coast of California at Catalina Island Marine Science Institute. This camp gave me an understanding of marine science conservation through snorkeling, kayaking, and touch tank aquariums. Throughout high school, I volunteered at the Nashville Zoo where I learned information about many terrestrial species. 

At Tennessee Technological University, my Environmental Science degree allowed me to explore different approaches to conservation, research, and sustainability. During my degree, I worked at the Office of Sustainability on my campus and learned many aspects of sustainability from an office setting. I organized campus events including the Sustainability Day Celebration, Earth Day Celebration, and campus clean-ups. I also obtained grants for my university, acquiring funding for the recycling program. During my undergraduate degree, I had the opportunity to study abroad at Ostional Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica where I researched Olive ridley sea turtles. I enjoyed working outdoors greatly, and was fascinated to see the life cycle of the Olive ridley sea turtles from nesting mother to hatchling. While there, I also witnessed arribadas, which is large-scale nesting of sea turtles. This was a truly life-changing experience and directed my career path towards outdoor fieldwork.  

Upon graduating in May of 2020, I found employment as a veterinary technician in Augusta, Georgia where I gained valuable experience in laboratory procedures, pharmacy, radiology, and animal treatment. Most recently, I completed an internship in the summer of 2021 with Bald Head Island Conservancy. As part of the conservancy’s Sea Turtle Protection Program, I was responsible for tagging and monitoring Loggerhead sea turtles. I also conducted an independent research project that analyzed nesting data from 2010-2020 to examine the impact of beach re-nourishment (sand replenishment) on nesting activities. Through this work, I gained considerable knowledge about sea turtle nesting behavior and conservation. 

These past experiences in the biological field have prepared me to work as a Biological Intern at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. I am excited to be participating in conservation research for both the frosted flatwood salamander and the red-cockaded woodpecker as I have not worked with amphibians or avian species previously. I am certain that the knowledge and experience that I gain through my work at St. Marks will aid me in my future career. I feel so fortunate to be calling such a beautiful and ecologically diverse landscape home for the season and am looking forward to exploring all this ecosystem has to offer in my free time!