Week 3 of SMSC was really fun we went on two field trips one to IFAW in Washington D.C, where we received a lecture on conservation policy and how long and difficult getting policy passed through congress is, as a NGO. IFAW was a really interesting place to visit I really appreciated how clear everyone’s answers were regarding the process to get legislation passed through Congress. I do wish we could’ve stayed longer and learned more about the other work they had done.
The second field trip we went on this week was to the West Virginia Fish and Wildlife Services training center. It was really fun learning about the different aspects of USFWS.
The way that the facility was laid out was very interesting. My dad works in a museum so I pay a little extra attention when it comes to museum pieces, specifically the way text and artifacts are laid out and I appreciated the separateness and interrelatedness of each exhibit. Learning about the editing and media process of the USFWS was fascinating because the staff made it very clear that working with the media is crucial in outreach and in getting people to care about your work as a conservationist.
I found the history of the Wildlife trade really interesting and I liked the way that the exhibits were positioned in the entry way. I thought the structures were very innovative due to the materials being made of recycled goods and the cultivation of native wildlife around the property being very in line with what our tour guide spoke about.
