Tour of the Office

Well this week has been slower than usual….

A few wildalerts, letters and clipbooks have been my week. No new legislation in congress, nothing terribly exciting across our regional offices either.

So, Im going to dedicate my blog post to showing you around the office… starting at the front door.

This is the entrance to The D.C. Wilderness Society Office. Located 1615 NW M St Washington D.C.

This is the art gallery you see immediately after entering. It is Ansel Adams ACTUAL photos. This collection is approximately several hundred-thousand dollars worth of art. It is open to the public free of charge. Please come visit!

Continuing upstairs leads to all of our office and meeting rooms. This is where the WORK is done.

Top of stairs is a small gathering/ waiting area…..

Welcome to our messy, compacted supply/storage/copy/printer room!

Break Room.

This is IT support staff Djonggi (far left) and Pat (middle). But the lady on the right is Lousie Tucker. This wonderful women is the intern coordinator. Thank you Louise for this special opportunity!

This room, we call the COVE. Better know as “where the interns work.” In order from front to back is Matthew Lichtash, Tess Richey, and Sara Skelton.

This is my desk. Where the real work gets done. (just kidding)

This is the end of my tour.

Your welcomed anytime from 9:30-5, Monday-Friday to visit Ansel Adams art work and of course ME!

Re-Organizing

Change of pace…

Now that the Government Shutdown is over, we have re-organized and now focusing on campaigns.  But before I dive into the campaigns I am working on, I want to take a moment and say, “I am SO proud of myself!” I drafted the press release that was sent to Capitol Hill which was about a nationally signed letter by 28 different organization/businesses, addressed to representative Hastings and DeFazio to end the government shutdown and reopen public lands. Of course it was edited and perfected but this is the first time I actually knew I was being helpful and producing REAL work as an intern.  Go ahead, LOOK AT IT!

As I was saying…

Currently I am putting together a “clip book” for our regional office in California. This clip book will be used in support of the San Gabriel campaign. We use clip books while lobbying. It is to keep a history of the importance and attention nationally spent on the campaign topic.  It’s refreshing to work on the San Gabriel campaign because I haven’t had the opportunity to before. My old supervisor, Emily had me working specifically on Birthplace of Rivers and H.R. 1526. I have learned so much about the terrain and beauty of California’s wilderness. Now, I believe I am due for a visit to California.

The major re-organizing is with my new supervisor, Neil Shader. He works primarily on energy issues focusing on oil and gas drilling (this is a whole new world to me).   It has been so far so good, just a ton of learning on my behalf.  The other re-organizing part is the campaigns Emily managed are now partly assigned as my responsibility (sharing with the other comm intern). I am on weekly calls where I participate with suggestions and I am producing small write-ups as needed.

The changes and re-organizing has helped me to enjoy my internship a bit more than usual. I love the new responsibility; I feel a part of The Wilderness Society now, just the new kid in training.

Structure

I work in TWS headquarters….

The last post, I updated you on the governmental shutdown and what I was doing in DC but I did not however logically explain how it has affected The Wilderness Society as a whole.

TWS’s main location is in Washington D.C. (where I work) but there are 12 regional offices across the United States. Each of these offices supports campaigns to designate lands in their location. They also cover and work on boarding states land campaigns.

View Offices: http://wilderness.org/article/regional-offices

The government shutdown has given my office far more to work on. There is an endless communication to-do list and media exploding every minute of every day. On the other hand, our regional offices have been kicked out of the wild places they’ve worked so hard to protect.

Regional offices work to designate lands to become national monuments, parks and wilderness areas. Our regional offices are participating in community activities, building constituents who favor the beautiful land areas and our campaigns. In return, when legislation is current in congress these regional office have built relationships with American citizens who begin pushing their representatives/senators or president to designate the land they have grown to love.

This shutdown has stopped all activities in our public lands. But it has not stopped building constituents and support. More media coverage and awareness has circulated through the governmental shutdown. It has shown millions the impact our public lands have on our economy, image and life fulfillment.

Enjoy America’s land while you still can!

Shutdown

Forget policy, focus on the people…

As I hope you are all aware, the US Government is shutdown. This has caused TWS to change its message as well as methods. Let me explain.
Over the last month I have talked about tasks completed to support legislation through congress that promotes conservation and designation of wilderness areas. Instead with the shutdown, the weeks have been spent researching and communicating with media to reveal the impacts wilderness has on our own nation and citizens.

View these stories of turmoil and hindrances America has faced without its precious wilderness:
– http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/02/partial-shutdown-complicates-search-for-missing-idaho-hiker/
– http://wildliferesearchnews.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/us-fish-and-wildlife-service-govt-shutdown-news/
– http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/oct/04/tourists-turned-away-vacations-ruined-and-businesses-suffer-after-government-shutdown/

This past week we produced several press releases, Op-ed, LTEs and WILDALERTS. Each focused on a target audience. To be honest, it has been very confusing at times and I noticed the necessity of networking. There has been more communication between organizations and news outlets then I ever thought possible. My boss was contacted personally to produce an op-ed for Politix. Knowing the ins-n-out and the right people is essential in the career of communications.

View work produced by TWS:
Politix.Topix
TWS Blog 
TWS Secure Wilderness 

This is a terrible time for our country and wilderness but it has also help spark the importance of nature into the eyes of millions.
But enough is enough! It’s time to explore and enjoy the sacred beauty of American lands.
You are capable of change, so do it! Tell your representatives to end the shutdown!

CSR

A day spent out of the office…

The Wilderness Society is categorized as a non-profit and often seen as a tree-hugging organization. But my experience in the DC office has been nothing but a professional, corporate, business like atmosphere. It’s the 9-5, computer-using, phone call making, meeting after meeting kind of job. This office often misses the lands they have worked so hard to protect.

Friday, September 27^th, TWS spent the day removing invasive English Ivy from Rock Creek Park in the DC area. It was public lands day and our corporate social responsibility (CSR) to participate. The park is ABSOLUTLEY beautiful.  View Rock Creek Park website http://www.nps.gov/rocr/index.htm

Participating with TWS on public lands day was awesome. I learned not only about invasive species but the bond TWS has with their community and one another. My PR classes in college explained the meaning of corporate social responsibility and the importance it veils for your business but I never knew the joy and morale it can build among employees. A day in the fresh air, giving back to their communities was a great change of pace for the DC office. We got to see each other out of business suits and fluorescent lighting and instead in jeans and sunlight.

Participating in public lands day or any CSR event gives the communications department some work to do. For this event we produced a press release as well as statement on our website.

View our statement http://wilderness.org/press-release/conservation-organizations-partner-dc-service-project-celebrate-national-public-lands