Field Notes
1. Notes from the interns on the important work they are doing at the Refuge.
2. Explanations of the work of the interns and why it is vital to the sustainability of the Refuge.
February 18, 2026
By Ryan Kalal, Seasonal Biology Intern
Ryan says Farewell
Starting out as a Biological Technician coming from outside of Iowa, I was always told that Iowa was a flyover state with a lot of corn. I quickly discovered I was wrong—well, there still is a lot of corn. There is so much more here, including the beauty of the tall grass prairie and the natural wonders within Iowa. I realized that my time here was going to be full of experiences like invasive species work, wildlife surveys, and public programming.
I had the opportunity to work with some great people in the private lands program and some of the partners they worked with. The private lands program works with private landowners and other organizations to restore and enhance natural resources on their property. They showed me how the private lands program worked and some of the things to know when working with landowners. Annie Pohlen with private lands took the time to set us up with surveying Topeka shiners, banding geese, and spending the day with Ecological Services to learn what they do. Ecological Services’ main task is to enforce the Endangered Species Act. Refuge staff coordinated with the Iowa DNR to let us tag along during many of their wildlife surveys on the refuge. The work on the refuge was not always glamorous, but it was rewarding—spraying for lespedeza, girdling black locust, working with the bison and elk, and assisting with interpretive programs had their joys.
Learning hands-on skills is always a success, but I think the biggest thing I learned from working here is the skill of leadership. Working in a team and with volunteers required me to learn new skills to overcome challenges in my leadership. I wouldn’t have learned all that I did if it weren’t for the great refuge staff and all their partners that mentored me over my season here. In the end, I think this has been one of the best seasons I’ve had, and it has helped show me different directions I can go in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and in the field of Natural Resources. I hope to be able to continue my work with the USFWS in the future.
February 6, 2026
By Ryan Kalal, Seasonal Biology Intern
ArcGIS Field maps and Survey 123
This week on our windy Friday I had the important task of helping Nancy (Visitor Services Manager) get the iPad set up and get her orientated with how to use ArcGIS Field maps and Survey 123. These programs are essential to the operation of not only this refuge but the whole refuge system. Refuge staff use Survey 123 to record the bison heath surveys on the refuge. In my opinion Field Maps of the 2 are the most important. Refuge staff us GPS points record plants for seed collection, where we girdle and treat, where we spray for invasives, and where invasives are located for future treatment. The data from Field maps is all entered into a national database. This is important to know so the next biotech and interns can be properly trained and can start the next season running.
January 30, 2026
By Ryan Kalal, Seasonal Biology Intern
Iowa Prairie Network Winter Seminar, "Passing the Drip Torch - 250 Years of Prairie Resilience"
Nancy Corona (Visitor Service Manager) and I attended the Iowa Prairie Network winter Seminar in Ames over the weekend of the 24th and 25th. The conference talked about how important the forb to grass ratio is and how close it is to 50/50. Forbs are broad leafed, non-woody, flowering plants. There was also a talk about the tribal people that once lived in Iowa. I find these conferences to be valuable experience for professionals and the public alike. They encourage networking and for furthering our knowledge of the prairie. I came out of this experience with a deeper understanding of the prairies of Iowa and the organizations that are working to protect and restore them.
January 23, 2026
By Ryan Kalal, Seasonal Biology Intern
Ryan takes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Annual Fireline Safety Refresher Training RT-130
During the month of January, I participated in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Annual Fireline Safety Refresher Training RT-130. This training is required every year if I have any interest in participating in wildland or prescribed fire. The training consists of a classroom portion and a physical portion. The classroom portion provided an overview of the Iowa's previous fire season, entrapment prevention, hazards on the fire line, and driver safety. Entrapment is when all your escape routes on the fire line have failed and you have been trapped by the fire; this usually results in the deployment of your fire shelter. The physical portion of the training, a practice fire shelter deployment and an arduous exam. This exam consists of a 3 mile walk with a 45lbs pack that must be completed within 45 min. It was important for me to complete because I expressed interest in participating in prescribed and wildland fire the next season and this kept my certification up to date. It also refreshed my knowledge of safety on the fire line.
January 16, 2026
By Ryan Kalal, Seasonal Biology Intern
Many Tasks for Ryan
This week I continued to cut and treat black locust within the Oak Savanna. I also removed the emergency lights from the type 2 fire truck. I also assisted refuge staff with many administrative tasks that helped the refuge work smoothly. Some of these include fire extinguisher inspections, assisting with volunteer agreements and coordinating volunteers for black locust treatment. Through these tasks I am learning what is required to maintain the refuge in the background.
January 9, 2026
By Ryan Kalal, Seasonal Biology Intern
Removing Black Locust
I took some volunteers out to cut, treat, and remove black locust from the Oak Savanna. We made some great progress and everyone had fun doing it. Black locust is a colonial species. A colonial species is a group of individuals that are genetical identical that comes from a single ancestor that functions as a single organism. They also spread very quickly and create monocultures which out compete native vegetation. To help control this we are girdling or cutting every stump and treating them with chemicals to kill the roots. This will intern kill the plant and help prevent the spread. This week I also took out one of our volunteers to do a Bison and Elk survey. The elk were on full display, and the herd was on the move.
December 12, 2025
By Ryan Kalal, Seasonal Biology Intern
Assisting Private Lands Crew
This week I assisted the private lands crew with some of their projects. I am helping private lands with an initial site visit where we took elevation points for a for a future wetland restoration, getting the ball rolling on a prairie restoration, visiting some contractors while they were digging for an oxbow restoration, and helping a landowner with a previous restoration project. The private lands crew helps private landowners and other organizations with restoration projects on their land through cost sharing, partnerships, and technical help.
December 4, 2025
by Ryan Kalal, Seasonal Biology Intern
Bison Care, Black Locust and Birds
This week I went out with our maintenance worker and placed mineral blocks for our bison herd. The bison were eager to get a lick of the blocks! Minerals blocks are the only supplement we provide for them as they are unable to find the minerals they need from within their enclosure. The bison find all the food and water they need within the 800 acre enclosure. I also continued the project of cutting, girdling and treating the black locust that is consuming the oak savanna. Nancy even came and joined the fun! While out on the refuge the American Tree Sparrows and Eastern Meadow Larks were vocal in their flocks. There was even a Northern Bobwhite Quail running down the road.
August 25 - September 5
By Connor Bennett
Summer Intern
We are spraying Sericea lespedeza (Chinese Bush Clover). Lespedeza can grow in extremely large patches, meaning when we spray, we sometimes lose the Round-Headed bush clover.See a lespedeza plant post-herbicide application. These results vary from one day to up to a week after application.
The brown plant is the lespedeza after application, while the other includes the lespedeza pre-treatment and the above-mentioned Round-headed bush clover.
The picture is the lespedeza (left) next to it's native cousin, lespedeza capitata (Round headed bush clover, right).
Spraying Sericea lespedeza (Chinese Bush Clover)
July 29, 2025
Norah Shires
2025 Summer Intern
This week we conducted a bison fecal matter assessment! This involved collecting 30 vials of fresh bison fecal matter. As unappealing as that may sound, it's important to be able to monitor the health of the herd. The samples will undergo parasite testing. It took us a few hours, and it was fun to watch their behavior as the day went on: calves playing with each other and adults grazing calmly beside them.
Bison Fecal Matter Assessment
July 16
Norah Shires
2025 Summer Intern
Invasive Plant Species Removal
Out at the refuge we have several invasive plant species; wild parsnip, birdsfoot trefoil, and lespedeza to name a few. Lespedeza is a particularly nasty one, and we are focusing on it heavily with pesticide for these next few weeks before it goes to seed. The pesticide tanks sit on a UTV, which we drive through the prairie and use a hand sprayer or the boom sprayer (nozzles on the back operated by a switch) on the target plant. Often a product called "Soy Stick" is used, which is an additive mixed into the pesticide to help it stick to the leaves.
Jun 24
Connor Bennett
2025 Summer Intern
This week we assisted the Iowa DNR with their Canada goose banding program. Banding the geese allows the DNR to track migration patterns after they have been harvested. The bandings took place at Oakland Acres golf course in Kellogg, Quarry Springs in Colfax, Rock Creek State Park, and at Central College. Over the course of 3 days, the DNR banded 599 geese!
Canada Geese Banding
June 13th
Norah Shires
2025 Summer Intern
This week we assisted with a Topeka Shiner survey! Topeka Shiners are an endangered small minnow-like species that like murky bottom waterways. For Iowa this means oxbows or streams. We went out and used a net to scoop up fish from the oxbows and counted them up, which is called seining. It was an absolute blast, and we even found some other cool species like darters and big tadpoles!
Topeka Shiner survey
June 5th
Norah Shires
2025 Summer Intern
This week we went out and learned how to do a bison and elk survey, which is how we keep track of how many individuals there are, how many calves there are, and the overall health conditions of the herd. We also record data of the day, like time, sky conditions, and ground conditions. Some individuals can be easily picked out by unique features they have, like horn shapes or irregularities!
Bison and Elk Survey
October 9th
Madison Zink, Visitor Services Intern
Without the ability to host classes in the Visitor’s Center right now, Nancy – the visitor services coordinator – and I have been brainstorming some fun ideas to keep the public involved and surprised when they come visit us in the prairie! With this goal I began to scope out some books in order to make Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge’s first every Storybook Trail! Storytime with the kiddos has always been one of my favorite events. I believe that growing a child’s imagination is just as important as scientific skills! With this goal in mind, creating the trail became an all-staff teamwork event! I dug up some old signs in our maintenance building that we don’t use anymore. Evie and Scott helped me paint them before I taped on all the laminated pages. Then finally, despite the lack of rain, Evie and I persevered and installed the book signs in the dry dirt — Steve, the maintenance worker, had some tips and tricks to help us too. Now, visitors can walk the Overlook Trail, and enjoy the view of the prairie while also exploring Old Bag of Bones retold by Janet Stevens. This story is based on the Shoshoni tale “Old Man Coyote and Buffalo Power” and follows an elderly coyote, who believes himself to be just an old bag of bones. As he laments, he seeks help from a powerful bison to turn him young again. Will he learn the true wisdom that comes from age, or will he simply be the same trickster he always was?
Storywalk
October 10
Danica Linn
We go out once a week to do a bison and elk survey in order to keep track of herd numbers and to see how well their body condition is. By looking at the bisons body condition you can tell how healthy each individual is. We keep track of this by doing a survey on the iPad of health conditions and things to look out for.
Bison and Elk Survey
October 7
Evelyn Ince, Biology Intern
We spent time spreading a seed called Blue Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre). It is a gorgeous little plant that looks like a grass but is actually part of the Iris family! This species blooms in May-July, before most others, making it an important plant for early pollinators. Because of its small stature, it needs openings in the plant communities from either soil disturbance (bison, gophers, badgers, etc) or fire.
It also likes to be in full sun on well draining soil. In order to maximize germination, the seed should be spread before the first freeze in the fall or after the last freeze in the fall (preferably in the spring after the last frost). I talked with Scott about burn priorities for the upcoming year. Danica and I then went two one of those units to spread this seed directly onto the soil on rocky/sandy slopes. We then notate where we spread the seeds for future monitoring. This spring, the unit will burn and give this small early blooming plant a space to germinate.
Spreading Seed
October 2
Evelyn Ince, Biology Intern
About three weeks ago, I recorded a species we don't usually get in a monarch survey. During monarch surveys we monitor what vegetation is blooming at that moment so we can understand the correlation between blooming species and monarch abundance.
After struggling to key the species out on my own, Tenlea suggested including Pauline and asking for her opinion. We went out last week and keyed out the species with Pauline. Here are some pictures of this. Unfortunately, the plant is an invasive that we do know about but isn't a top priority at this point. It is officially ID'd as Shrub Lespedeza (Lespedeza bicolor). I've documented it on our invasive species map so that the next biologist has an idea that it is still here and apparently doing well in this unit.
Discovering a new species
Blue Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) picture from Prairie Moon Nursery
