In the Field | Ben Buescher: Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
Posted 12/17/21 at 13:41h by Cassie Clark
My entire life I knew I belonged in the conservation, so when I graduated from Colorado State University with a wildlife biology degree, I took swift action pursuing the next step in my career. I had landed a temporary position doing vegetation management for open spaces in the county where I went to school. Returning home at 3:30 every day, I made a habit of looking and applying for jobs for about an hour every day. I did this for about a month before I started hearing back from employers consistently. I remember seeing Kupu’s posting on Conservation Job Board in early July.
The application asked me to choose my island preference. Knowing little about Hawai‘i at the time, I marked Moloka‘i and Kaua‘i highest because I knew they were the less-developed. At the time, I forced myself to downplay the opportunity because it felt like a pipedream. A few weeks passed before I received an email that seemed surreal. I had been accepted into Kupu’s Conservation Leadership Development Program! My resume landed me in the applicant pool for the various service sites throughout the Islands. The same email asked me to schedule an interview with my now supervisor at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Kīlauea Point Point National Wildlife Refuge on Kaua‘i. Kupu applicants generally interview with multiple positions. Throughout the interview it became evident that the position was perfect. It seamlessly incorporated my experience in environmental education, biology, science communication, and even my vegetation management work.
The job they described offered an exciting diversity of experiences and areas to grow. I felt generally confident after the interview that this was the position I would be offered. They had me contact the service member who I would be succeeding the following day. She was able to give me some extremely appreciated perspectives about moving to Hawai‘i from the mainland and what to expect from the position. Within two days, I went from wondering about my future to figuring out how to afford moving to Kaua‘i. That question was easier for me to answer than for many other members because my position would allow me to live in a refuge bunkhouse rent-free. That was certainly one element of my experience that is not universal to every Kupu applicant looking to move here from the mainland.
I anxiously awaited my site confirmation and once that went through, I was set. Kupu put me into contact with the other bunkhouse residents who helped me coordinate a ride from the airport upon arrival. Now in December, Kaua‘i has already begun to feel like home, and I am flying to the mainland for the holidays soon. It is crazy to think that only four months ago I was waiting eagerly by the phone for my program confirmation, and five months ago, I could not have even imagined my job search would lead to living and working in paradise on the most remote island chain in the world.
I am serving as an environmental educator and an assistant volunteer coordinator at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. I grew up in Saint Louis, Missouri where my love for wildlife grew with frequent visits and several years of working at the Saint Louis Zoo. I moved to Colorado for my undergrad where I worked in an acoustic ecology lab and studied wildlife biology. I’m excited to carry out my passion for science communication and conservation outreach in Kaua‘i! Follow Ben’s blog at www.kupuhawaii.org/tag/ben-buescher.
