2010 Anna Beal
Summer Conservation Intern Scholarships
May 25 - August 6, 2010

Applicaton Deadline: Extended to March 19th, 2010!

Internship Application [121 Kb fillable pdf]
Internship Flyer [178 Kb pdf, legal-sized]
Internship Job Description [93 Kb pdf]

The Nature Conservancy in Iowa is pleased to announce the 2010 Summer Conservation Intern Scholarship Program. Scholarships, in the amount of $3,500, will be awarded to qualifying undergraduate students attending institutions of higher learning in the state of Iowa. Interns will engage in field stewardship projects on The Nature Conservancy preserves throughout the state. The Conservancy provides food and lodging/camping during the internship. 

Anna Beal Program Information
The Nature Conservancy Summer Intern Scholarship Program is intended to broaden the education of Iowa college students, as well as provide them with financial support. The program introduces recipients to preserve management practices, preserve design, natural resource protection and conservation science methods. Field experience will focus on hands-on experience doing preserve management tasks and may include natural areas inventory and population monitoring.

 Daily Work Tasks Include: 

  • Operating chainsaws and other power tools
  • Removing invasive and exotic species
  • Assist with monitoring
  • Restore Iowa’s natural ecosystems

The Nature Conservancy receives funding for the summer internship program from the Anna Beal Trust, founded in 1974 and managed by US Bank of Waterloo, Iowa. The founders of the Trust were Ed and Anna Beal, who farmed in Black Hawk County and wished to provide educational opportunities for deserving Iowa students. The proceeds of the Trust were designated for the purpose of providing scholarships to further the education of Iowa college students -- to help those who, without financial assistance, could not obtain a college education (see application form section 7 for financial need requirements).

The Nature Conservancy's Mission
The Nature Conservancy is an international, nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and water they need to survive. This is done through the identification, protection and management of ecologically significant natural areas and the species they support. One of the key elements of the Conservancy's program is education about the importance of biological diversity to human society.

The Internship
The internship will be conducted completely in the field, throughout the state, for a period of 11 weeks. Pre- and post- weekend travel to work sites is the responsibility of the intern, and therefore the provision of personal transportation, while not required, is encouraged. Fieldwork will include strenuous physical activity, sometimes under taxing environmental conditions, and lodging will be primarily in state park campgrounds. Prospective interns must be in good physical condition consistent with this level of activity. The rewards of the internship include experiencing and learning about Iowa’s tallgrass prairie, deciduous forest and wetland ecosystems, while making significant contributions toward their preservation and building lasting friendships.

Students accepted into the program will receive $3,500 payable in two installments of $1,750 to their school’s financial aid office. The first payment will be made in the spring of 2010 and the final payment in the fall of 2010. Seniors graduating in the spring of 2010 need to make arrangements with their financial aid office PRIOR to the field season regarding the fall award payment of $1,750. Scholarship payments may only be made to institutions of higher learning; students are responsible for arranging scholarship disbursements between themselves and their school’s financial aid office.

Scholarship Application Guidelines
Qualifying students must have demonstrable financial need and should have a strong interest in the type of outdoor experience described above. To apply send a:

The cover letter, application form, and letter of recommendation can be mailed  or emailed to our office. Applications, inquiries or questions should be directed to:

Laura Norian, Operations Manager
The Nature Conservancy in Iowa
303 Locust Street, Suite 402
Des Moines, IA 50309-1787
Telephone: (515) 244-5044
iowa@tnc.org