My Park Story: Sylvia Touchstone

Sylvia spent many days kayaking on the Cuyahoga River to study woody debris

NPS Photo/Sylvia Touchstone

Where are you from? What was your pathway to the National Park Service?

My name is Sylvia Touchstone, and I am the Mosaics in Science Intern at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I am from the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia and am currently in college pursuing a degree in Geography, a minor in Environmental Studies, and a certification in Geospatial Science. While growing up, my family and I always loved road trips to national and state parks. Our favorite places to go were Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to see the view of the city. We would pack up the minivan, head out to new places, and see new things. As I grow older, that excitement and anticipation of venturing never left. Cuyahoga Valley National Park gave me the opportunity to hit the road again for another road trip and experience life in a different region of America.

Sylvia worked with other park scientist in a lab to look at water quality and the effects of woody debris on the river

NPS Photo/Sylvia Touchstone

What is your main project this summer?

This summer, my main project was to make woody debris protocols that can be used by citizen scientists. I worked with current volunteers and engaged in local communities to contribute to the protection of the Cuyahoga River. Woody debris can be classified as a collection of different size tree limbs, trunks, and branches. The debris, also known as woody features, can range in size, weight, stability, and location on the river. These factors were considered when creating protocol and safety procedures for habitats and future visitors.

In addition to my main project, I created informative materials, including blog posts and flyers. I also brought public awareness about the woody features and the ecological benefits to the Cuyahoga River through one-on-one engagement. We highlighted the vital role large woody features have in the river, on fish habitat, benthic macroinvertebrates, and sedimentation.

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

The most rewarding part of my job was interacting with different departments of the park to implement the protocol for the safety of recreational users and employees. It is extremely rewarding knowing the community of the park is working together to learn more about the Cuyahoga River.

What excited you most in this internship?

The most exciting part about this internship was being able to shadow other people and see what they do for work. I was able to learn so much outside of my project from coworkers. I gained new skills and learned about new topics, such as freshwater mussel reintroduction, bird banding, water quality testing, and kayaking. I also traveled to Washington D.C with Environment for the Americas (EFTA) to present my project in front of the EFTA interns in the Department of Interior building. This opportunity was exciting and rewarding as I was able to showcase Cuyahoga Valley National Park and my project. I had a poster project about the large woody debris monitoring protocol and how Cuyahoga Valley National Park is monitoring its woody debris in the river.

Has this internship helped you discover different career paths?

I would love to work for the National Park Service in the future! This has been a great experience and has made me feel like I would belong in a job like this. I enjoy being outside with nature and working alongside people with the same mission and goal. It has been a wonderful opportunity to be a part of this program and I am grateful to EFTA and my supervisor for believing I was a good fit for this role. The program and my supervisor have gone above and beyond to make sure I, and the other interns have a positive experience working in a national park and helping us narrow down what career path we would like to do.

Read more about Sylvia’s summer at Cuyahoga Valley National Park on her Mosaics in Science blog.

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In July, Sylvia shared her internship work with officials in Washington, D.C. at the Environment for Americas Conference.

NPS / Sylvia Touchstone