Air Curtain Burners Sustainable Forest Management

Looking for a summer internship focused on the use of newer and cleaner technologies for forest management? Join our innovative project to explore the use of Air Curtain Burners (ACB) in the Long Island Pine Barrens.

ACB is a device that burns wood waste (logs, fallen trees, branches, standing dead or dying trees, twigs), trapping smoke particles from wood burning, reburning them and potentially reducing emissions of CO2 and PM2.5 while also producing useful biochar.

Biochar is a charcoal-like material that can be added to soil to improve nutrient content and water retention. It also stores carbon, representing one potential solution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Partnering with the Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission and SUNY ESF, this internship offers 28-40 hours per week of hands‑on experience in field ecology and data collection including fuel loading assessments, tree regeneration studies, and air quality monitoring with focus on CO2 and PM2.5. Your work will contribute to research that informs sustainable forest management. Hours are negotiable.

• Current enrollment as an undergraduate in forestry, ecology, environmental science, or a related field.
• Ability to work in forests under various conditions and perform laborious work
• Must have a valid driver’s license and preferable a car for transportation to field sites.
• As house is not provided, residents from Suffolk County or Nassau County in Long Island are preferred, but all qualified candidates are welcome to apply.

Please contact Ricardo Martinez Ordoñez (mmartinez3) with interest or questions regarding this position; subject line should reference to this notice (i.e., “2026 ACB Internship Interest”). Please include a resume.

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