**PITTSBURGH – MARCH 2, 2026 – **The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is excited to announce that applications open today for its popular Young Naturalists summer internship program, a paid opportunity for high school students to work, learn, and explore in Pittsburgh’s parks.
Now entering its 12th session, Young Naturalists is an award-winning program designed for students who are passionate about nature and interested in careers in environmental science, ecology, sustainability, outdoor recreation, and STEM fields. Participants spend their summer outdoors alongside expert naturalists, scientists, and environmental educators while gaining hands-on experience improving park health across the city.
Students accepted into the program take on meaningful conservation work, including controlling erosion, managing and monitoring invasive species, repairing trails, and caring for trees, while also diving deep into environmental STEM topics such as mycology, entomology, botany, forest ecology, ornithology, aquatic ecosystems, watershed health, climate science, and land conservation.
“Young Naturalists gives students a unique opportunity to step outside the classroom and into real-world environmental leadership,” said James Brown, Director of Education at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the Frick Environmental Center. “They build job skills, confidence, and lasting connections to professionals and peers all while making a real difference in our city’s parks.”
The program welcomes students who have completed their freshman year of high school through graduating seniors. Ideal applicants are committed, reliable, curious about the natural world, and willing to work outdoors in varying and sometimes physically demanding conditions.
Since launching in 2014, Young Naturalists has focused on creating in-depth, hands-on environmental science experiences for Pittsburgh-area high school students, with a strong emphasis on expanding access to STEM opportunities for students from historically underrepresented groups.
Young Naturalists also collaborates with regional partners, including the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Powdermill Avian Research Center, Tree Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Conservation District, and The Watersmith Guild, among others.
Interested students can learn more and apply at https://pittsburghparks.org/education-programs/young-naturalists/.
The post PITTSBURGH PARKS CONSERVANCY OPENS APPLICATION PROCESS FOR PAID YOUNG NATURALISTS HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM first appeared on Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.