The Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) is excited to announce Autumn Oberhart as the new Communications Intern for Summer 2024!
Autumn is a rising senior at the University of Oregon. She is double majoring in Environmental Studies and Political Science, and double minoring in Environmental Humanities and Legal Studies. At Oregon, she is a member of the Undergraduate Advisory Board, Legislative Scholars Program, steering committee for the Coalition Against Environmental Racism, and was a member of the a cappella group that inspired Pitch Perfect!
Through her academic career at Oregon, Autumn has learned the importance of land management, forestry, environmental law, and much more. Coming to Oregon has helped her pursue her passion for environmental advocacy and discover the intricacies of natural resource management. After graduation, Autumn plans on attending law school for a concurrent Juris Doctorate and Legal Master in Environmental and Natural Resource Law.
Outside of her internship, you can find Autumn hiking one of Oregon's many beautiful trails, floating the Willamette River, or reading a good book.
Learn more about Autumn in the Q&A below, and say hello at intern@westernforesters.org!
What attracted you to an internship at CWSF?
CWSF was the perfect internship because it combined my passions for communications and natural resource management. At Oregon, I worked in Communications for the Environmental Studies Department. I learned hands-on how important it was for our students to have up-to-date information about the issues that would impact them as scholars and their future career paths. I see that same commitment to knowledge at the forefront of CWSF’s mission.
What are you hoping to gain from your internship?
I’m hoping to gain real-world experience and insights on how to best share relevant information with those who benefit the most from it. As well as developing a deeper understanding of strategic communications for science-driven organizations. I'm ready to help CWSF and its goal of promoting forestry and fostering accessibility to pressing environmental and natural resource issues.
Describe your connection to forestry and natural resources.
I grew up mainly in Iowa and Chicago; I was not constantly surrounded by rugged topography and forests. When I got to Oregon and was able to appreciate this environment, I knew I wanted to understand more and make sure the western state transplants of the future can do the same. As a transplant, I also experienced wildfires for the first time. They became an issue that I quickly intertwined with my academic pursuit. I’ve been able to take what I’ve learned in an academic setting and share it with just about anyone who will listen. My friends would tell you I have spent many hours explaining fire severity maps, BAER teams, and post-fire erosion.
This internship is supported by the National Association of State Foresters Foundation.