Cultivating the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders

Nature Collective launches 2026 Internship Program

Nature Collective is doing more than restoring landscapes; with your support, we are developing the people who will protect them for the next fifty years. Thanks to your support, we’ve officially launched our 2026 Spring Internship Semester. Your support, along with the milestone support made possible by the John & Elizabeth Family Foundation, the Lea Family Fund, and the Mary Jane Ferris Memorial Fund, represents a vital step in our Internship Expansion Plan.

Above: 2025 Education + Outreach intern at Ambassador table

Building on a landmark partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Conservation Corps, we are debuting a new pilot program this March. Two full-time interpretive outreach interns will join us at the lagoon to master science communication, public engagement, and volunteer coordination. Beyond the public face of conservation, these interns will gain hands-on experience in habitat restoration, data management, and program evaluation; offering them a rare window into the strategic operations of an environmental nonprofit.

Above: 2025 Habitat Management Intern at Val Sereno Preserve

Your impact also extends to the behind-the-scenes work of land stewardship. This year, donor-funded growth is allowing us to explore extending our stewardship internships at San Elijo Lagoon—traditionally limited to the summer—into the spring and fall. These expanded roles will focus on essential tasks often overlooked in traditional grants, such as mapping trail-maintenance needs and identifying invasive species that threaten our native wildlife. By funding these internships, you transform traditional volunteer roles into professional stepping-stones, enabling interns to be mentored directly by our expert staff.

Above: 2025 Integrated Interns recalibrate a data sonde at our on-site wet lab

From the natural slot canyons to the Nature Center, the interns you support are the face of conservation for thousands of visitors. Whether they are monitoring water quality, managing nursery-based propagation, or inspiring a child during their first lagoon visit, these young professionals are building a legacy of leadership. You aren’t just protecting over a thousand acres of diverse habitat and a vital marine protected area; you are diversifying the conservation field and equipping the leaders of tomorrow with the skills needed for climate equity and community engagement.

Thank you for believing in the power of mentorship and the future of our planet, and for ensuring that this powerful program, which began over two decades ago, continues to grow and reach more talented youth.