{"id":3312,"date":"2023-09-08T14:28:48","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T19:28:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/?page_id=3312"},"modified":"2026-09-11T14:19:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T19:19:11","slug":"2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/","title":{"rendered":"2026-2027 Natural Lands Technicians"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-modular-content-collection>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each year the Director and Manager of the Natural Lands choose several students to be the Natural Lands Technicians. Natural Lands Technicians are responsible for the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">-Seed collecting from native plants<br \/>-Removing invasive plant species<br \/>-Maintaining trails<br \/>-Participating in Prescribed Burns<br \/>-Learning about land management<br \/>&#8230;and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are interested in working as a Natural Lands Technician, check the St. Olaf student employment job board for open positions. We typically hire for the upcoming school year late in the spring and openings are usually posted at the beginning of Spring semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Visit our Instagram at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stolafnaturallands\/\">https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stolafnaturallands\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visit our Facebook at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/stolafnaturallands\/\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/stolafnaturallands\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information on the Natural Lands Technician position at St. Olaf College, contact Director of Natural Lands Charles Umbanhowar (<a href=\"mailto:ceumb@stolaf.edu\">ceumb@stolaf.edu<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" open><summary><strong>Meet our 2026-2027 Natural Lands Technicians Here!<\/strong>&#x2600;&#xfe0f;<\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Natural Lands Technicians for the 2026-2027 school year are: Shea McDonald (&#8217;27), Josaphine Nguyen (&#8217;27), Sila Lilljedahl (&#8217;27), Owen Stefanich (&#8217;27),  Jayme Sandbeck (&#8217;27), Stella Wheeler (&#8217;27), Brooke LaVoi (&#8217;27), Anna Edstrom (&#8217;28), Alice Wagner-Hemstad (&#8217;28), Adam Broga (&#8217;28), Leo Benson (&#8217;28), Lily Houston (&#8217;28), and Jane Dagher (&#8217;28).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"577\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"5940\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/sheacoolfish\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/sheacoolfish.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1080,1918\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"sheacoolfish\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/sheacoolfish-577x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/sheacoolfish-577x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5940\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.5634791887978374;width:212px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Shea McDonald (she\/her): <\/strong>Hi there! I&#8217;m Shea. I am a senior Biology major and I have been working in the Natural Lands for two years now. Some of the things I enjoy doing are hammocking, snowboarding, fishing, swimming, and working outside! This year I am excited for the opportunity to continue restoring our beloved Natural Lands via prescribed fire, woody species removal, seed dispersal, etc. Let me know if you want to go fishing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"836\" data-attachment-id=\"5941\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/josaphinemossland\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/josaphinemossland.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,2091\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"josaphinemossland\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/josaphinemossland-1024x836.jpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/josaphinemossland-1024x836.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5941\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.2241923367895213;width:350px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Josaphine Nguyen (She\/Her): <\/strong>Hi, I\u2019m Josaphine, and I\u2019m majoring in Biology and Environmental Studies! I\u2019ve worked as a restoration technician for the last two years, and I\u2019m hoping to continue in a similar field once I graduate. My favorite area in the Natural Lands is the Big Pond prairie loop, since you can see Prairie Smoke (<em>Geum triflorum<\/em>) there in the spring. I also really enjoy learning more about native ecosystems, although most of my current focus centers around southern MN. Other hobbies include reading and making art!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"750\" data-attachment-id=\"5924\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/silaboat\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/silaboat.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1170,857\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"silaboat!\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/silaboat-1024x750.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/silaboat-1024x750.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5924\" style=\"width:255px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sila Liljedahl:<\/strong> Hello! My name is Sila and I&#8217;m a senior environmental studies major from St. Paul. This is my third year as a tech in the natural lands! I&#8217;ve spent my last few summers working at a family camp near Ely MN, doing lots of art, working outside and learning about the northwoods with kids and families. Yay! I also really like singing, the color purple, and chickens. See you in the natty lands!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"5923\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/jaymetree\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/jaymetree.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"jaymetree\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/jaymetree-768x1024.jpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/jaymetree-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5923\" style=\"width:255px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jayme Sandbeck (she\/her):<\/strong> Hi! My name is Jayme and I am a senior Environmental Studies major with a concentration in Gender &amp; Sexuality Studies!&nbsp;I am really excited to continue&nbsp;as a natural lands technician after working as a summer tech and am looking forward to seed collections and starting the new forest restoration project. I love working outdoors, hiking, and walking through the prairie with a nice breeze!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" data-attachment-id=\"5942\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/stellacarrot\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/stellacarrot.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"stellacarrot\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/stellacarrot-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/stellacarrot.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5942\" style=\"width:314px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Stella Wheeler (they\/them): <\/strong>Hey! I&#8217;m Stella, a senior biology major and&nbsp;environmental&nbsp;studies concentrator from Duluth! I can usually&nbsp;be found frolicking amidst the green bell pepper plants at StoGrow, biking along Heath Creek, or lurking around the print studio in CAD. I do research at St. Olaf on&nbsp;<em>Balanophyllia elegans<\/em>, the orange cup coral and love learning about and working in marine landscapes! This will be my first year as a technician and I&#8217;m excited to spend more time out in the Natural Lands and find weird&nbsp;fungi and lichens.&nbsp;I love sturgeon and earthstars!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"568\" height=\"763\" data-attachment-id=\"5948\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/brookebag\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/brookebag.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"568,763\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"brookebag\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/brookebag.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/brookebag.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5948\" style=\"width:314px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Brooke LaVoi (she\/her): <\/strong>Hi! I am a senior Environmental Studies (natural sciences) major with a concentration in Statistics &amp; Data Science, and this will be my first year working as a Natural Lands Technician. I am currently obsessed with Cecropia Moths after&nbsp;seeing a caterpillar this summer. I am especially excited to keep learning about the plants and bugs in the Natural Lands!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"575\" height=\"765\" data-attachment-id=\"5000\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/screenshot-2025-07-23-140516\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-23-140516.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"575,765\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-07-23 140516\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-23-140516.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-23-140516.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5000\" style=\"width:314px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Anna Edstrom (she\/her): <\/strong>I am a Junior Environmental Studies (social science) and Sociology\/Antrhopology double major. I am from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I love being outside, spending time with my friends, and painting! My favorite native plant is Common Milkweed (<em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Asclepias syriaca <\/span>L.<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"626\" height=\"666\" data-attachment-id=\"5304\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/screenshot-2025-09-02-082346\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-02-082346.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"626,666\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-09-02 082346\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-02-082346.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-02-082346.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5304\" style=\"width:391px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Alice Wagner-Hemstad (She\/Her): <\/strong>Hello! My name is Alice and I am a junior majoring in Biology and Environmental studies. I\u2019m from St. Paul, MN. I enjoy spending time outside, gardening, and exploring new outdoor spaces. I\u2019m also on the Track and Field team at St. Olaf! I care about the environment and am excited to continue contributing to the preservation of the natural lands and ecosystems at St. Olaf!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"2048\" data-attachment-id=\"5921\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/adam_broga\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/adam_broga.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1536,2048\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 12 Pro&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1774876154&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;1.54&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;25&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0041666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"adam_broga\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/adam_broga-768x1024.jpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/adam_broga.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5921\" style=\"width:260px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Adam Broga (he\/him): <\/strong>Hi! I&#8217;m Adam and I&#8217;m from Poulsbo, Washington. I&#8217;m a junior Biology and Environmental Studies major who loves getting outside! This is my second year as a natural lands technician. Last summer I worked as a crew leader for the student conservation corps in my home town, and did lots of mountain biking. This year I hope to do more birding and maybe try some cross country skiing (I&#8217;ve only really done downhill). I&#8217;m super excited to be working in our beautiful forests and prairies again, and hope you&#8217;ll find the time to explore them too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"5473\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/img_2251\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/10\/IMG_2251.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_2251\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/10\/IMG_2251-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2025\/10\/IMG_2251-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5473\" style=\"width:225px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Leo Benson (he\/him):<\/strong> Hello! My name is Leo Benson, and I am a Junior biology and education major. This is my second year as a land technician, and I am so excited to work in such a beautiful natural environment! I love hiking, camping, swimming in lakes, skipping rocks, and more. I&#8217;m also a big Minnesota sports fan despite the constant uphill battle. I am very&nbsp;excited to learn more about the natural lands and spend more time in my favorite place on campus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"5922\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/lilytree\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/lilytree.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1536,2048\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"lilytree\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/lilytree-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/lilytree-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5922\" style=\"width:225px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lily Houston (she\/her):<\/strong> Hello! I&#8217;m Lily, a junior environmental studies major from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I was a Natural Lands Technician this summer, and I&#8217;m excited to keep working during the school year (especially to get some experience with prairie burns)! Working in the Natural Lands has let me indulge my passion for birding, and I&#8217;m looking forward to spotting fall migrants while I work in the coming months. If you see me, make sure to ask about the St. Olaf Bird Alliance (a.k.a. the coolest club on campus) and why you should join!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"776\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"5955\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/2023-2024-natural-lands-technicians\/janepuppy-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/JanePuppy-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1939,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"JanePuppy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/JanePuppy-1-776x1024.jpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/files\/2026\/09\/JanePuppy-1-776x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5955\" style=\"width:225px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jane Dagher (she\/her): <\/strong>Hi! I\u2019m a junior biology major on the pre-vet track. I\u2019m currently in Ireland for my study abroad, and I\u2019m so excited to work as a Natural Lands Technician for the first time in the spring. I love animals, and taking care of them means taking care of nature. I also love spending summers exploring Lebanon (where I\u2019m from!) with my friends, DJing, and music in all its forms. You can find me literally anywhere, from doing tech stuff in CAD to filling piano humidifiers in CHM.\u00a0Just YOLOing my way through life.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each year the Director and Manager of the Natural Lands choose several students to be the Natural Lands Technicians. Natural Lands Technicians are responsible for the following: -Seed collecting from [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4679,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3312","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4679"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3312"}],"version-history":[{"count":61,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3312\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5956,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3312\/revisions\/5956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/naturallands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}