A Rocha USA Conservation Interns on a sunset kayak in Titusville, FL

Dear friend of A Rocha USA,

I am happy to announce that we are hiring for our Conservation Internship program for the 2024-2025 session! This nine-month, full-time, paid internship experience is offered jointly by A Rocha USA and the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies, with generous support from the Murdock Charitable Trust. The internship runs September 1, 2024 – May 30, 2025. The deadline to apply is April 21.

If you know a recent graduate with a degree in environmental science, a desire to work in conservation, and an interest in integrating their vocation with their faith in Christ, our internship could be a good fit. Interns receive vocational mentorship and gain practical environmental education and conservation skills within the context of Christian community. Ultimately, we want to see recent graduates enter the conservation field and make a career out of their passion for God’s creation.

It is a privilege for all of us to work with and mentor the Conservation Interns, past and present.  They have created informative and accessible research projects through Storymaps (Lagoon Biodiversity and Mole Crab Survey), photography projects, creative writing pieces, conference presentations, and articles for outside publications (Earthkeeping and Horseshoe Crabs). 

Michaela Stenerson, one of our previous interns, sums the experience up well: “Joining the A Rocha family has been a blessing both personally and professionally as I’ve heard the wisdom of other people of faith who have worked in this field for decades. It is a community that I look forward to always being a part of and an organization that I hope to always invest in. I’m incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity and to have been supported as I enter this field and integrate my work with my faith.”

We are receiving applications for the next cohort of interns now! The deadline to apply is April 21st. For more information and how to apply, follow the link below.

For questions about the Internship program, current opportunities to apply, or how you can support our interns, please email me at brittany.michalski@arocha.org.

Brittany Michalski                                                                   
Director of Conservation                                                                                     
A Rocha USA                                                                                                    

Act Locally

Creature Feature: Get to Know the Atlantic Mole Crab

Mole crabs are harmless creatures that live in colonies where the waves wash over the beaches, known as the swash zone. They are uniquely adapted to live in this relentless environment of constant movement and changing tides.

Think Globally

The Spiritual Work of Habitat Restoration

Since moving to a new home, with my new husband, I’ve declared war. War on the invasive iceplant covering a hillside all along the property. This mounding succulent (Carpobrotus edulis) has spread aggressively across the Californian coast, choking out native vegetation and disrupting the composition of the soil. Native to South Africa, it was brought to the Golden State in the early 1900s to stabilize soil alongside railroad tracks and later highways.

Get Involved: A Rocha opportunities

Check Out Our New Website

Explore our new and improved website to see what we are up to in Texas and Florida, learn about our national programs and discover ways you can get involved. Make sure to check out our new Creation Care Resources and News and Stories sections!

Petition: Horseshoe Crab to be listed as an Endangered Species

A recent petition, led by The Center for Biological Diversity with 22 partner organizations, seeks to list the Atlantic horseshoe crab as an endangered species under NOAA Fisheries’ Endangered Species Act. According to an article published on February 14, the petitioners state that horseshoe crab populations have crashed in recent decades due to overharvesting and habitat loss, putting them in danger of extinction across a significant portion of their region as threats are likely to persist.

Texas Conservation Project: Upcoming Events

Stenis Tract Workdays: April 20 @ 9 AM CST

Picnics en el Arroyo: April 28 @ 11 AM CST at McKinney Falls State Park, May 18 @ 11 AM CST at Palmetto State Park

Learn more about these events or sign up to volunteer by emailing veronica.godoy@arocha.org.

John Stott Memorial Birding Day

Join teams from around the world in the 2024 John Stott memorial birding day on May 11. This annual event is organized by A Rocha to commemorate and celebrate our great friend and supporter, the late John Stott, and his legacy as a theologian, pastor, and birdwatcher. Learn about the four ways to get involved below!