27 Jun Kayla Fermin- An Influential Women in Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

This summer was the very first time that I traveled on my own. I have only been a part of the National Park Service community for about two years. Within those two years, I had the opportunity to meet amazing individuals who reflect my community and goals. The fear of not having someone to fall back on was at the forefront of my mind. Yet, by the end of my first week, I enjoyed Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (LEWI) and the individuals who worked there. I had the greatest time getting to know Kayla Fermin and what she does within the park.
Kayla is the park’s Natural Resource and GIS Program Manager. It is inspiring to see women of color go out and set high standards unapologetically. A current project that Kayla and her team have just completed is the North Coast & Cascades eDNA project. LEWI is a part of the North Coast & Cascade Network, which partners with big parks such as Olympic National Park, North Cascade National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park. At all these locations, the field team takes an eDNA inventory of major bodies of water. Kayla and her team visited sites at Sunset Beach, Fort Clatsop, and Cape Disappointment. Last year, the teams completed lotic (fast-moving water) sampling. Today marks the completion of the lentic (slow-moving water) samples. While typically working outside public view, this project was at the forefront of the parks. The teams were able to interact with the public and explain the significance of sampling various bodies of water to inventory aquatic species and pathogens.

A site of LEWI that was visited to collect eDNA samples.

As Natural Resource Manager, Kayla and her team lead multiple projects in conservation and preservation of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. Some projects include regional efforts to recover the Oregon Silverspot Butterfly, monitoring forest restoration plots, and stewardship beyond the park by hosting beach clean ups.

Maddy, Bio Technician for LEWI, is using clean methods as to not contaminate eDNA sample.