Conservation Diaries: Erwin Lopez Osorio, International Volunteer (U.S. National Park Service)

Conservation Diaries: Erwin Lopez Osorio, International Volunteer

Listen to this episode of Conservation Diaries as Erwin Lopez Osorio shares his experience as an international volunteer at Bandelier National Monument.

Date created:

04/18/2023

Audio Transcript

[opening music]
Celeste: Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Conservation Diaries, a National Park Service podcast. I am your host, Celeste Morales and in these episodes, we are featuring youth from around the world volunteering in national parks through the National Park Service’s International Volunteers In Parks Program.
Sometimes called "IVIP” for short, this program brings many talented people from different cultural, educational, and professional backgrounds to gain experience to work in conservation-related fields in National Park Service sites and programs. Our agency also has the opportunity to learn from their knowledge and perspective. While this podcast series focuses on youth, the International Volunteers In Parks Program is open to all ages.
Erwin Lopez Osorio participated in an international internship with Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology at the Technological Institute of the Valley of Oaxaca. A few years later, he obtained a master's degree in conservation and management of natural resources at the National Polytechnic Institute CIIDIR in Mexico.
Erwin: I'm a Mexican biologist and I'm from Oaxaca City. This year, I had my first experience abroad thanks to the National Park Service and Environment for the Americas.
Celeste: Since he graduated, Erwin has been promoting bird conservation in his community teaching others how to identify birds and involving them in monitoring projects. He wanted to devote his career to their preservation. Working with scientists in the US national parks appealed to him because he wanted to learn new techniques to apply to his work in Mexico. Learning about bird migration patterns and their habitats in the US was equally valuable to him.
Erwin: I specialize in birds, and through them, I make my bachelor's and my master's degree thesis. And also, I participated in some volunteerings in Mexico. One of them focused on bird banding, and another to promote bird watching in my state. I'm a person that loves spending time in nature, so this position was perfect for me because it include all things, right?
Celeste: Erwin worked in Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico. Situated in high mesas, located in a beautiful canyon with red rock cliffs, the park contains many signs of ancient Native Americans, who carved pueblo dwellings, into rock walls. It also includes a diversity of wildlife and plants.
The park’s natural resources staff conduct many inventories and monitoring research projects to access the existing conditions of the Bandelier’s natural resources. This helps its scientists to understand the current state of its biodiversity and to develop the best management actions. Bird banding is an important part of its efforts to understand the health and numbers of the park’s avian population.
Erwin: And additionally, in most of the land of this part park is considered a wilderness area, so that represent a refuge of many species of birds, such as beards, and mammals, fish, plants, et cetera. This year, we started an introduction of two species because the water quality and the macro vertebra appoinents is better in the park.
Celeste: Erwin was an intern with the park’s 2022 bird banding team which monitored and tracked nesting birds at four sites at different locations in the park. Erwin assisted the park with identifying, banding, sexing, and ageing southwest birds. This included setting up mist nets, removing birds from the nets, banding the birds, and releasing the bird quickly and without harm.
A key part of Bandelier’s bird banding program was educating under-served school children about the bird banding processes, with an emphasis on the biology of birds and potential influences from warm climates. Erwin created a 45-minute bird banding presentation to deliver it to 20 different 4th-6th grade classes. The classes also visited the banding site to see the park scientists and Erwin in action.
Erwin: We caught different kind of warblers. Yeah, it's pretty cool. During the breeding season, and some of them during migration. Yeah, it was exciting.
Celeste: Bandelier’s bird conservation program is helping to protect species that migrate to Latin America. Working across borders is important to their survival. Teaching conservationists from those countries how to study birds and protect their habitat is crucial. Moreover, relationships between future leaders abroad and national park scientists will promote cooperation to further protect shared populations.
Erwin: Yes, this park has another method to banding birds. So yeah, I learning new techniques. I learned, of course, about characteristics of new species for me. Well, a good news through this time at Bandelier is that now I'll help in our new banding station in Oaxaca thanks to support from Bandelier in a place called Monte Alban.
Celeste: The National Park Service realizes the importance of diversity in the work force. Having different perspectives helps us manage our resources better and helps us to connect to all communities. We need to extend the benefits of parks to everyone and to enlist their stewardship. Hosting international volunteers allows National Park Service to share its conservation strategies around the world.
Erwin: Honestly, I didn't know that, as a foreigner, I could participate in the National Park Service. Yeah, but now I understand that organizations such as Olympias and Environment for the Americas are supporting underrepresented groups like Latinos, which is fantastic. This year, through the Fish and Feathers Internship, most of us were Latinos and that is so cool.
Celeste: Helping children and youth to understand and appreciate nature is vital to the future of protecting our national parks. The experiences that we provide will have a lasting impact on their conservation values; thus, ensuring that our public lands will last for generations to enjoy.
Erwin: We need a better environmental education for tourism activities, promoting activities with children are crucial.
Celeste: Working in national parks is a great experience for young people. They can see first-hand what park rangers and other staff do and have opportunities to live close to nature. For many, it expands their understanding of conservation careers and provides a catalyst to want to learn more about science and history.
Erwin: I want to say thanks for this opportunity as a Latino. I enjoyed my stay in the United States. Yeah, I would recommend that other young people with a similar ethnicity apply to this program. It's a great experience. It's not only a job. It definitely helped to learn new things, and it's sometimes a challenge.
This international program represents an excellent opportunity of training for people involved in the natural sciences. And additionally, we can increase our English skills through these programs.
Celeste: Erwin had a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills that he will bring to his own conservation efforts in Mexico.
The National Park Service Office of International Affairs helps parks throughout the United States share its mission with partners around the world. It coordinates international volunteer programs like Erwin’s, which benefit national parks by connecting them with the global community through sharing skills with future conservation leaders who will be better equipped to protect resources in their own countries.
And remember, there are many opportunities for youth and young adults 15-30 years old and veterans 35 years old and younger to work with the National Park Service. To learn more about these jobs, internships, and volunteering opportunities, you can go to nps.gov slash youth programs.
Thanks for listening and happy trails!
[music fades]

Erwin Lopez Osario holding a Cassin's finch — Erwin holding a Cassin's finch on his first day
NPS Photo

Meet Erwin Lopez Osorio, an international volunteer from Oaxaca, Mexico. Erwin spent the summer at Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico with the Volunteers-In-Parks program. Erwin is a biologist and holds a master’s degree in conservation and management of natural resources. Since 2016, Erwin has promoted birding and festivals in his state and bringing awareness of the importance of protecting the wildlife.

Bandelier National Monument is part of the land of the Ancestral Pueblo People who lived there about 500-700 years ago and now represent a refuge for many wild species. Bandelier, with its diversity of habitats, is home to a variety of birds. Some live there year-round, others live there seasonally, and others simply migrate through. Erwin spent five months banding birds for the for the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program and ornithological research in different environments.

A student holding a bird that Erwin is banding — Erwin educating students on bird banding techniques
NPS Photo

“Banding is a method for studying wild birds that provides valuable data for managing and conserving populations. With this data, it is possible to estimate resident and migratory bird population trends, monitor bird responses to climate change, analyze site loyalty, individual survival rates, and many other aspects. Currently, I am helping four banding stations at the Bandelier National Monument. The vegetation at these stations is mostly a mixed-conifer forest with meadows and ponderosa pine forest.” - Erwin Lopez Osorio

Erwin also had the opportunity to share his knowledge of the bird species that call Bandelier National Monument their homes during the education programs with elementary students. He shared his knowledge with 300 children during a field trip on bird characteristics, migrations, and banding techniques. The school groups helped with Erwin’s research by capturing, banding, and recording the data.

Two scientists carrying gear while wading in shallow water — Erwin participating in water quality research
NPS Photo

"It's always a pleasure to work with our International Interns. We all learned a lot about Mexico from Erwin and really enjoyed having him as part of our team this year." - Sarah Milligan, Natural Resource Program Manager, Bandelier National Monument

Erwin’s volunteer experience at Bandelier was an important step toward his future career in working in natural resources management. He took home new perspectives, knowledge, and tools to help him in his efforts to protect birds in Mexico. He plans to stay in touch with the biologists in Bandelier and to share data from his community monitoring projects in Oaxaca. Follow his summer journey by checking out Erwin’s blog with the Environment for Americas, a partner of the National Park Service who sponsors opportunities for youth to gain hands-on experience working in national parks.

“My internship was fantastic! I improved my bird banding and English communication skills. Additionally, I learned methods to study other groups and communication sciences. I appreciate the support received by the National Park Service and Environmental for the Americas at all times Saludos desde México.” - Erwin Lopez Osorio

Celeste Morales on a rooftop with the Washington Monument in the backround — Celeste Morales at the National Park Service's headquarters in Washington, DC
NPS Photo

Meet the Host

Celeste Morales, a Chicana with a Hispanic heritage stemming from Jalisco, Mexico, is serving as the National Leader for the Community Volunteer Ambassador Program. For the 2022 cohort of this program, she works directly with the National Park Service Washington Support Office and provides peer support to over fifty Community Volunteer Ambassadors at national park sites across the US. In her role, Celeste also serves as a liaison for the Volunteers-In-Parks Program which works to inspire the next generation of stewards through volunteer services. Celeste aspires to continue working in the field of parks and recreation to strengthen opportunities for diverse communities to show their support and commitment to permanently protecting our natural, cultural, and recreational resources.

LInda Bennett standing next a representative from a Kenyan national park — Linda Bennett with a representative from a national park in Kenya
NPS Photo

Meet the International Volunteers in Parks Coordinator

Linda Bennett is an International Cooperation Specialist with the National Park Service's Office of International Affairs. She serves as the International Volunteer in Parks (IVIP) Coordinator, as well as the main contact for the National Park Service's international cooperation efforts with countries in Europe. Her 30-year career with the National Park Service has included being an interpretive ranger and volunteer coordinator at National Mall and Memorial Parks, assignments in Canyonlands National Park and Natural Bridges National Monument, and graduating the Mid-Level Intake program. She finds working with international volunteers rewarding with the knowledge that their experiences working in the US national parks will have a lasting impact upon their careers and lives.

Conservation Diaries: Erwin Lopez Osorio, International Volunteer