Spring & Fall
10 Week Paid Internship
Field Work Experience
The Carolina Wildland Foundation offers undergraduate students a 10-week paid field experience. The internship takes place on-site our Southern 8ths Field Station.
This field work being done is creating useful data sets in association with the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and the USA National Phenology Network.
Students must complete application and interview process to be accepted.
Meet Our Program Staff
David Harper
Program Coordinator
Brianna Bergamini
Prairie Keeper
Student Experiences
No one can give a better perspective on this unique educational opportunity than our interns.
“Everything on Southern 8ths Farm tells a story. The carved and painted logs tell the story and history of the land. The small graveyard we visited told the story of the family who once lived on the land. The trees planted in a row tell a story, and so do the remaining bits of the cattle farm that was once on some of the property. Everyone may have a different perspective, but everyone, and everything, can tell a story if you look and you think. The quiet and peaceful environment around the property can even tell the story of the hard work Brad and others have put into preserving the land.”
“I’ve begun to open my eyes more since starting this fellowship, trying to take in more of my surroundings and limit my screen time. So just within about 15 minutes of sitting there quietly I got some fantastic videos of animals including one of a bird eating a caterpillar in the canopy right above me. … This project has already opened my eyes to things in the landscape of Chesterfield that I was unaware of even though I lived here my entire childhood.”
“It was silent, almost as if humanity had never existed. No cars, no planes, no street noise, just pure nature.… The property was something so special that when I left, the world didn’t feel real, it felt as if life was artificial. The property is certainly preserved to perfection and gives such a unique experience that I have never experienced before.”
“I’m a biology major. I’m interested in studying conservation, but I do like the micro-science side as well. … this [internship] is the well-rounded experience I can get beforehand.”
“I found it extremely impressive that the farm had many different types of environments from ponds to prairies to marsh-like wetlands.”
“Our last night was a great time to have a bonfire with firewood and s’mores ingredients all set up for us. It was very nice to just sit by the fire and have some quiet time in such a beautiful and peaceful place.”
“It was awesome to go around the property with Winthrop University researchers, since they are from another school and we are from Francis Marion, and it was great to see what they are doing in addition to our own research.”
Education Partners
