Hello Oakland Township! My name is Kelly Craig, and I am joining the land stewardship crew this year. I graduated from Michigan State University in 2024 with a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife management and have been working as a technician on several wildlife research projects since then. I decided I wanted to try something new and get out of my comfort zone by doing land management work, so I am excited to build connections and learn as much as I can!

Most of my experience is in ornithology (birds), so I’ve spent extensive time in the field doing research on migratory bird species. As an undergraduate student, I helped conduct an independent research study analyzing the reproductive habits of eastern bluebirds and tree swallows. More recently, I have also done some genetic sampling work in North Dakota and Georgia, where I collected samples from American marten and ruffed grouse.

My philosophy when it comes to my career is that I want to always be learning something new. Especially in the context of conservation, I believe that knowledge is most powerful when shared freely with others. I hope that I can learn from not just the crew I work with, but from everyone who is involved with stewardship in the township.