Guest Blog by our newest intern. We met Rut when she rode her bike right into one of our Block Parties in Tacony Creek Park in June!
Hi! I’m Rut, (pronounced like ‘root’ in many English accents/dialects) and I have the privilege of joining the TTF team for a few months as an intern. I grew up in and around Philadelphia, but haven’t been around for a number of years since I left on a gap year. I spent four delightful years in St. Paul, Minnesota studying linguistics and geography at Macalester College, exploring the Twin Cities by bike, and being expressly introduced to the concept of sustainable living for the first time — something that sparked new understandings of the environment.
A variety of ‘green’ themes dominated a year working at a nature conservation station in rural Germany. That year includes some of my coolest (and sometimes not-so-great) life experiences so far, such as counting thousands of cranes as the sun rose and finding wild turtles as they laid their eggs at night (although in case you think it was all idyllic, we were out there rain or shine, hot or cold).
I fill my free time with biking, spending time with my siblings, reading and gardening. I’m an avid novice gardener and try to follow permaculture principles while making sure that the deer and groundhog don’t eat everything. I love watching plants grow and change and marvel at the huge variety. I’m learning to identify plants, their origins, and relations with other creatures, as well as taking advantage of the huge variety of edible ‘weeds’. And I love sharing what I learn and getting others interested too.
My commitment in treating others and in extension the environment around me fairly and responsibly has led me to seeking a way to learn and invest in green spaces in Philadelphia after a seven year absence.
I am committed to habitat restoration and conservation and am interested in exploring and improving the connections and interactions between people and the natural environment. I find that these interests align with TTF community focus and advocacy, education, conservation, and stewardship activities. In partnering with TTF I hope to usefully apply my skillset, build up my knowledge base, and continue to prepare myself for an environment-focused career.
Interested in interning with TTF to learn new skills and help us get our work done? More information and a sign-up form here.
