Yesterday we mentioned an art show at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, but did you know you can be an intern there too? We, of course, love plants & love all things Kauai, but this garden has a special place in our hearts. It is one of only three National Tropical Botanical Gardens in the United States & the plants there are just stunning. Do you remember the giant tree roots in Juriassic Park? Did you think they were CGI? Nope, they are there & you can look for your very own dinosaur eggs among them when you visit — & they really are as awesome as they looked in the movie.
Anyway, back to the internship. Now through May 8, you can apple for their 13 week horticultural internship. The program runs from September 19 to December 16. It’s aimed at college and university level student, but adults are also welcome to apply.
Here’s a description of what you would be doing:
“Interns work side-by-side with staff as they care for and learn about the living collections, primarily at NTBG South Shore Gardens (McBryde and Allerton) and also at Limahuli Garden and Preserve in Hā‘ena and Kahanu Garden and Preserve in Hāna. The schedule includes on-the-ground introductions and training, classroom lectures, and workshops by NTBG academic faculty and other Garden staff. The wide range of instruction includes such topics as airlayering and grafting, traditional plant uses, invasive species and pest control, seed banking, and watershed management.”
If this sounds like a dream to you, you can apply online at ntbg.org/courses.
In the past they’ve had students from Hawaii, the mainland US & other places around the world, so if you’re not lucky enough to live Kauai yet, this may be a great opportunity to get into the island, literally.
