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From Soil & Water:
We are so excited to have Avni Naik joining us this summer to spearhead the Visit NC Farms program. Avni will be here from May 21-July 31 as part of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s Max Internship program. The internship seeks to engage young people from communities historically underrepresented in conservation – particularly of Asian, Black, Latinx, multiracial, and Native American descent. Avni will be joining Ariel Zijp in the Farmland Preservation program to engage our local ag community and local businesses who support our ag community in joining the Visit NC Farms app and to expand the award-winning Farm Heritage Trail in Buncombe County. Please join us in welcoming Avni to the Soil and Water team!
Avni Naik is a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania working toward a master's degree in Environmental Studies. Her focus is on the urban environment, and she hopes to work with nonprofits or local governments dealing with sustainability and land use. Avni's interest in the environment began in high school while studying biology and ecology. This interest was furthered by frequent hiking trips to state parks and visits to the Smoky Mountains. She believes that human well-being is intricately tied to the environment that we live in, and protecting the planet's natural resources is critical for future generations.