An essential guide to fieldwork
My intern experiences this summer were nothing short of great. This summer, I helped Anna Kottkamp with her study of Delmarva Peninsula’s geographically isolated wetlands or Delmarva Bays. These wetlands are surrounded by upland and have no apparent surface water connectivity (Tiner 2003). Despite their geographic isolation, Delmarva Bays offer many ecosystem services such as providing habitat to many rare and endangered species (Sharitz and Gibbons 1982) and enhance local water quality (Phillips et al 1993).
With the lab and field work required to study these wetlands, I learned valuable skills that I can apply in my future career. One of these lessons is field preparedness. Whether your work is in the woods or in agricultural fields, or whether you are soil sampling or water sampling, fieldwork is an essential part of research and it comes with physical and environmental hazards. This guide is intended to share some things that I did right and some lessons I learned the hard way when it comes to field preparedness.
Water – who doesn’t need water right? When it comes to water, I always say it’s better to have more rather than not having enough. Nothing beats drinking the ice-cold water that you froze the night before after a long hot day in the field.
Snacks – this is a no-brainer. Eating snacks on the way back from long hours of soil sampling was something I always looked forward to. Especially when what you’re looking forward to is Anna’s homemade muddy buddies to share with her…muddy buddies.
Proper field attire – even in the field you need your PPE (personal protective equipment). Long sleeves, long pants, safety vests, waders, and bug nets were among the few things that made me feel protected from outside elements. But it doesn’t come with the rookie mistake of wearing leggings instead of tightly woven pants that are actually thicker than your fingernail. Mosquitoes can bite through leggings even if you apply bug spray everywhere. A good pair of hiking pants will go a long way. This can be pretty expensive but if you don’t mind browsing aisle after aisle for pants at the thrift store then you might just get lucky! It is also important to check the weather to make sure that you are wearing the proper attire. If you’re like me and you forget to bring a rain jacket when it’s supposed to rain on a field day – you might have to resort to using a plastic bag to protect you from getting wet!
Bug spray – oh deer give me some DEET. As fieldworkers, we encounter many insects that can serve as vectors for many diseases. With ticks hanging out waiting for you to step close enough for them to reach you and mosquitoes knowing no boundaries, insect repellent was my best friend this summer. Even after applying DEET and permethrin on my clothes and picaridin lotion on my skin, mosquitoes find a way to remind you of their presence.
Make the best of what you have. No matter how prepared or unprepared you are for field work, it is always important to make the best of what you have and have fun.
References:
Phillips PJ, Denver JM, Shedlock RJ, Hamilton PA (1993) Effect of forested wetlands on nitrate concentrations in ground water and surface water on the Delmarva Peninsula. Wetlands Wetlands 13: 75-83.
Sharitz RR, Gibbons JW (1982) The ecology of southeastern shrub bogs (pocosins) and Carolina Bays: a community profile. FWS/OBS-82/04. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Biological Services, Washington, DC
Tiner, R. (2003). Estimated extent of geographically isolated wetlands in selected areas of the united states. Wetlands, 23(3), 636-652.