Stewardship student Interns contribute to stewardship at Jasper Ridge

July 28, 2025

Now in its third year, the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ('Ootchamin 'Ooyakma) Stewardship Intern Program is excited to include two new interns for summer 2025. Meet Atash Heil and Jaime Yu, both Stanford undergraduates who have joined Jasper Ridge staff to expand stewardship efforts at the preserve and work with researchers, faculty, and docents. 

Stewardship Intern Program is an exciting initiative that empowers aspiring students interested in conservation to get out into the field. It is supported by the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, whose mission it is to support innovative people working in field-based science, art and craft, teaching and protection of the natural world. This immersive program was created for undergraduate students seeking hands-on, real-world experience with active environmental stewardship while developing skills in field ecology, and natural history.

Atash and Jaime have hit the ground running! Starting on their first day they participated in fieldwork on an herbarium-led weeding project to manage invasive teasel, Dipsacus sativus. Immediately after, they began collecting field data that will help build a comprehensive preserve-wide map needed for the Jasper Ridge Invasive Plant Management Plan. Both interns also support Dr. Sheena Sidhu, stewardship scientist, in evaluating fuel reduction practices at the preserve and are beginning to develop independent research projects based on their interests and skills to support our stewardship efforts. Atash will be looking at oak seedling regeneration within fuel reduction areas, and Jaime will be using the invasive species mapping data to further explore the potential spread of invasive plants.

Learn more about the Stewardship Interns below!

Atash Heil

Atash Heil in field collecting geodata as part of the invasive species mapping project. (Photo by Jaime Yu)

My name is Atash Heil, and I am a rising senior majoring in Earth Systems. I was born and raised in Germany, specifically in the coastal town of Kiel by the Baltic Sea, and moved to Stanford for my undergraduate studies. Ever since I can remember, I have been drawn to maps depicting the spatial patterns underlying our natural world, from climate zones and species ranges to tectonic boundaries. Several classes at Stanford have provided me with an outlet to develop my mapping skills both in the field and through GIS software, which I am now excited to implement in invasive species surveys and other stewardship-related projects at the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. 

Moreover, I enjoy exploring the abundance of nature trails spanning the Bay Area in my free time, with herons in the Baylands and redwood trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains allowing for a welcome retreat from the busy life on campus. The Jasper Ridge Stewardship Intern Program has so far presented a precious opportunity to experience this nature off-trails for the first time, and I look forward to many more moments immersed in the beautiful Mediterranean-type ecosystems that are so intrinsic to this place.

Jaime Yu

Jaime Yu collecting cut teasel stalks as part of teasel, Dipsacus sativus, management with Herbarium Docents off Trail 10. (Photo by Sheena Sidhu)

Hi folks! My name is Jaime Yu, and I am a rising junior studying mechanical engineering with an interest in creating nature and community-based solutions to varied environmental issues. I’ve grown up mostly in Lexington, Massachusetts, but have also spent a good chunk of my life in the midwest in Minnesota and Indiana. I have always loved spending time outdoors, whether that be diving into snowbanks, hiking, backpacking, skiing, diving into lakes, running, or just wandering about. Naturally, I became fascinated with all the lovely little things, from birds to plants to rocks to the very soil under our feet and learning how they all fit together on the land. 

I’m excited to continue to see and learn about how to be a good steward of this land this summer at Jasper Ridge, and experience first hand the intricacies and challenges of how to tackle environmental issues such as fire risk and invasive species management from not only the scientific lens, but also that of balancing various stakeholder desires and resource constraints. As a docent here at JRBP ('O'O), I look forward to sharing what I learned with visitors at the preserve to help folks gain a more holistic understanding of what stewardship and taking care of the land really means.

Visit the Stewardship Intern program for more information and to apply for next year!

Authors:

   Sheena Sidhu, Stewardship Scientist, Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ('Ootchamin 'Ooyakma)

  Jorge Ramos, Executive Director, Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ('Ootchamin 'Ooyakma)