The Urban Wildlife Conservation Program

I wrote a piece over on Defenders of Wildlife’s Medium website commemorating the 116th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Most people know about the National Park System, but there’s another system entirely that belongs to the American people. Those who know me can attest to how memorable I found working for the Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency that manages the refuge system. Spending my summer of ’17 working in Hadley and living in Amherst, Massachusetts was the best summer of my life. I want to thank Chelsi Burns, Sharon Marino, Mike Horne, Christine Eustis, and countless others for making me consider a career in conservation a worthwhile pursuit.

Visiting the Greenway Renewal Project as part of the Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership in Elizabeth, NJ. From left to right: Jonathan Phillips, Alex Kasdin, me, Mike Horne, and Chelsi Burns.

Me and my mentor, Teiko Saito, at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.