2025 Summer Intern Program Outcomes
Ten weeks of hands-on natural resource work, career exploration, and meaningful contributions to the Baker County community.
A Summer of Meaningful Work
The 2025 BRC Summer Intern Program ran for 10 weeks, from June 16 through August 22. For the first time, the program included two crew leads and six high school interns, allowing the team to operate as two sub-crews and work on multiple projects simultaneously.
Seth Mastrude served as Crew Lead and Riley Hurliman as Assistant Crew Lead. Isaac Berry, Landon Dougherty, Chadd Hilman, Alex Jaca, Jack Murphy, and Elias Taylor served as summer interns.
How the Program Worked
Two Sub-Crews
The eight-person team was divided into two sub-crews, each consisting of a crew lead and three interns. This structure allowed BRC to take on multiple projects while giving interns more focused, hands-on experience.
Real-World Projects
Teams worked in two-week increments on property mitigation, the Powder Basin Watershed Council Trout Creek Beaver Habitat Restoration Project, and multiparty monitoring work.
26 Acres of Mitigation Across Eight Properties
Over the course of the summer, interns helped address hazardous woody material and other hazardous materials across 26 acres of private properties, while gaining direct experience in wildfire mitigation and natural resource management.
2025 Mitigation Results
The summer crew completed mitigation work across eight properties between June 16 and August 8.
| Property | Dates | Total Acres | Mitigated Acres | Woody Material | Metal | Tires & Rims | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strommer | June 16–20 | 22 | 5 | 8,946 yd³ | — | — | — |
| Combs | June 23–27 | 25 | 3 | 9,798 yd³ | — | — | — |
| Edwards | June 30–July 3 | 12.5 | 3 | 7,916 yd³ | — | — | — |
| Bowers | July 7–11 | 12.6 | 3 | 12,501 yd³ | — | — | — |
| Bowers 2 | July 14–18 | 5 | 3 | — | 6,400 lbs | 4,800 lbs | 5 antique farm implements |
| Goodyear | July 21–25 | 5 | 2 | 6,305 yd³ | — | — | — |
| Baker | July 28–Aug. 1 | 17 | 3 | 8,291 yd³ | — | — | — |
| Nelson | Aug. 4–8 | 20 | 4 | 9,159 yd³ | 6,400 lbs | 4,800 lbs | — |
| Total | — | 114.1 | 26 | 62,916 yd³ | 6,400 lbs | 4,800 lbs | 5 implements |
Host Feedback
Every mitigation property owner was asked to complete a post-treatment survey about their experience with the summer crew.
Strong Community Response
Respondents consistently highlighted the quality of the crew and organization of the program, with comments recognizing the team’s work and expressing interest in having the program return.
$5,800 in Community Cost Share
Property hosts contributed $5,800 toward the cost of the summer mitigation services. Hosts were invoiced $800 when the full crew participated or $500 when a sub-crew provided the service.
Additional Accomplishments
Hands-On Natural Resource Work
- Two sub-crews each spent a week supporting the Powder Basin Watershed Council Trout Creek Beaver Habitat Restoration Project.
- Helped construct two of three buck-and-rail exclosure fences totaling 3,963 feet and protecting 11.23 acres of riparian habitat.
- Helped construct 18 of 56 beaver dam analogues across the 2.5-mile project reach.
- Completed wildfire mitigation work on the Goodyear property.
- Recorded protocol-based data on 105 multiparty monitoring plots for the U.S. Forest Service.
- 98 plots were located near Phillips Reservoir and along the old Albany Road in the Baker City Watershed.
- Seven additional plots were located on Butte Timber Sale Units off the Anthony Lakes Highway.
Launching the Pathways Program
The 2025 internship program helped spark the development of the Pathways Program, creating additional opportunities for high school students to explore outdoor careers throughout the year.
Opening Doors to Outdoor Careers
The program grew from conversations with 2025 interns and BRC partners, including Baker High School Future Center, Anthony Lakes Outdoor Recreation Association, and Treasure Valley Community College.
A founding meeting was held at BHSFC on September 3, with five of the six interns and the Assistant Crew Lead participating. Students agreed to continue meeting monthly and invite additional students.
Career Experiences
- Recreation employment with ALORA
- Education opportunities with BHSFC
- Forestry positions through OSU Extension
- Watershed management with PBWC
- Wildfire management careers with BRC
College Credits & Certificates
TVCC courses provide students with opportunities to earn college credits and skill certificates.
- Intro to Wildland Fire — S130/190
- Power Saw Use & Safety — S212
- Potential Wilderness First Aid course
- 3 TVCC credits = 1 high school credit
Paid Work Experience
Students participating in work experiences are paid $16 per hour, connecting career exploration with meaningful, compensated work.
By October 24–25, students had completed two of the three course modules, with a fourth module scheduled for November.
Partners Make the Work Possible
BRC’s summer program is strengthened by organizations that provide financial support, contracted services, career experiences, and opportunities for students to learn.
Financial Support
- Coalitions and Collaboratives — AIM Program
- The Roundhouse Foundation
- Oregon Forest Resources Institute
- Friends of Paul Bunyan Foundation
- Tyler Foundation
Contracted Services
- Powder Basin Watershed Council — Beaver habitat restoration, dam analogues, and post-and-rail fencing.
- Wallowa Resources — Monitoring plot data collection in the Butte Treatment area and Baker City Watershed.
Building Skills. Serving Communities. Creating Pathways.
The 2025 Summer Intern Program provided young people with meaningful work experience while contributing to wildfire mitigation, habitat restoration, monitoring, and community education. The partnerships built through the program are helping create new pathways for students to explore the diverse careers available in natural resource management.