Lotus is a current student at North Shore Community College and has interned with SSCW since Spring 2023. During her time with us, she has been engaged in a variety of field studies and subsequent scientific research. These include working with the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) to monitor salt marshes in Newbury, Ipswich, Gloucester, and Essex, as well as monitoring marine invasive species across Salem Sound and analyzing data to summarize their population trends across time and location.
She has also been an invaluable part of many local efforts, helping to plant native plant species at Winter Island, removing parasitic plants from the rain gardens along the North River (a vital habitat for rainbow smelt), and researching local pollinator species, native flowering plants, and methods to maintain pollinator gardens for educational signage in our pollinator garden.
Lotus’ position was made possible in part by a DER grant and the Essex National Heritage Commission’s Future Leaders Program.