The LEAF Interns with their mentor, Alma (far left), and Father Peter and Susan Conaty (center) at Nash Prairie Preserve.

This week I had the great honor of shooting the LEAF Interns at The Nature Conservancy’s Nash Prairie Preserve near West Columbia, Texas. The Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF) program provides paid summer internships for high school students and helps educators from environmental high schools share best practices and scientific resources. The long-term goal of LEAF is to support more than 30 environmental high schools across the country.

These three Interns were from New York City and were definitely a tough and determined group of young ladies. It rained incessantly while we were there. Some nearby areas got ten inches of rain over the course of the week. However the weather did not dampen the spirits of these girls.

The Nash Prairie Preserve is as close to the heart of Texas history as any place in the state. West Columbia was the first capital of the Republic of Texas. The Orozimbo Oak where General Santa Anna was chained after his capture at the Battle of San Jacinto while awaiting transfer of custody to the United Staes was right across the road until it died in 1990. All of the Heroes of the Revolution camped here. It is quite an historic place.

This week I was fortunate to meet Father Peter Conaty and his charming wife Susan. This couple was instrumental in the transfer of Nash Prairie to the Conservancy. Susan is a fellow Texas Master Naturalist and quite knowledgeable about the natural history of Nash Prairie as well as Texas lore. She also has turned the land around their home into a nationally certified wildscape which is just beautiful.

If you want to see my photos and video from this trip you will have to visit the Nature Conservancy sites where they will be hosted. I will post an update here when they are up.