The Land Trust welcomed Stanford intern Ahmad Koya to our team back in June. Ahmad has been helping with the Land Trust's effort to permanently protect Skyline Forest. A month into the internship, we caught up with Ahmad to hear how his time with the Land Trust is progressing.
by Ahmad Koya
Horses are huge. I've always had some scale for horses (of course, they're bigger than humans), but standing right next to one is eye-opening. Their sheer size and power are spectacular! This photo of me with the horse was taken at Rainshadow Organics, where we recorded a video about their farm for the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program about land protection agreements, two terms I'd never heard before stepping foot in Bend.
Those are two unforgettable activities I've done with the Land Trust. Of course, in addition to having fun, I've been getting some work done! I'm part of the Land Trust's Conservation Team, and my main task is to work on everything related to Skyline Forest, a 33,000-acre forest near Bend and Sisters. For example, I'm currently setting up meetings with stakeholders from the community who will share their values pertaining to Skyline Forest. Ideally, after meeting with stakeholders and hearing their input, it will guide the Land Trust in how to uphold as these values as we work towards a conservation solution for Skyline Forest. I'm looking forward to continuing this work (and fun!) during the rest of my internship!