KALLI WILLIAMS
WHERE ARE YOU FROM ?
I ’ m from Lexington , South Carolina .
HOW DID YOU CONNECT TO THE CONSERVANCY ?
At Clemson University , they offer “ Creative Inquiry ” classes . Students get the opportunity to assist in research . I helped Meghan Keating , a Ph . D . student , with her research on bobcats of Kiawah Island . She told me about the internship with the Conservancy , and I applied !
WHAT ' S YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO KIAWAH ISLAND ?
DO YOU HAVE EARLY MEMORIES OF KIAWAH ISLAND ?
I grew up visiting the Lowcountry a lot ( Hilton Head , Edisto , Sullivan ’ s Island , Charleston ). My family never stayed on Kiawah Island , but we would visit for day trips . However , I ’ ve had the opportunity to vacation with friends on Kiawah ! One of my favorite memories was when a friend and I were at the beach and looking for sand dollars . Instead of pulling up a sand dollar , she came up with a crab pinching her hand !
HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AS AN INTERN RELATED TO
WHAT YOU ’ VE STUDIED AT SCHOOL ?
Yes ! I ’ m a wildlife and fisheries biology major at Clemson University . This internship has really allowed me to enjoy Kiawah Island ’ s wildlife , especially its birds . When monitoring properties , we ’ re tasked with finding signs of wildlife ( dens , tracks , food sources , etc .). I ’ ve also studied invasive plant species in my classes , so spotting and removing those on the job is a nice connection . A lot of my classes focus on “ reading ” the land ( how is it connected , why is it important , what does it provide for the ecosystem , etc .). Monitoring properties for the Conservancy has really given me the opportunity to apply what I ’ ve learned .
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE CONSERVANCY ?
Obviously , who wouldn ' t want to spend a summer on Kiawah Island ? The opportunity to do what I enjoy , make a positive impact , and enjoy the beautiful landscapes that Kiawah has to offer was enough to draw me in .
WHICH PROJECTS FROM YOUR INTERNSHIP WERE
ESPECIALLY INTERESTING TO YOU ?
Definitely going out to properties and monitoring them was the best part . However , I thought learning more about acquiring land and conservation easements was really interesting . There ’ s only so much you can learn about that in a classroom . Sean Cannon had me working with Esri software , which was also really interesting because it ’ s a good tool to use in the environmental field .
WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEXT ?
I will be finishing up my senior year at Clemson in 2024 ! After that , I plan to attend grad school – hopefully at the College of Charleston so that I can come back here !
ROOTS 2023 • 45