We’re excited to welcome our 2022 seasonal stewardship crew! Camryn Brent, Cassie Stitzman, and Emma Campbell joined us in the last few weeks and will be out in the parks doing much-needed ecological restoration work until the end of the summer. This week Cassie Stitzman shares her introduction. Her enthusiasm and excitement are contagious! Drop a comment to help us welcome her to Oakland Township.
-Ben

Hello! My name is Cassie Stitzman and I am an Oakland Township Land Stewardship Technician for the summer. This is my very first field season! I’m excited to be part of the Oakland Township Parks and Recreation team and I am grateful for the opportunity. I am thrilled to work with people that are passionate about preserving ecosystems and meeting people in the community.

Growing up, I loved animals and was fascinated with their abilities to survive in the wilderness. I loved watching Meerkat Manor, reading wildlife books, and taking hikes in nearby natural areas. As I got older, I realized that there are a variety of careers in wildlife conservation. I graduated from Schoolcraft Community College with an Associate’s in Science in May 2020. During my time there I tried, again and again, to gain experience to no avail. Despite my discouragement, I didn’t give up and continued my search for conservation opportunities. My search led me to work at a dog daycare for two years and volunteering at a wildlife sanctuary.

To continue my quest, I am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s in Fisheries and Wildlife Management at Northern Michigan University (NMU). At NMU, I was excited to gain new experiences and meet people with my same passion for wildlife. I joined the NMU Fisheries and Wildlife Association, a student club filled with other enthusiastic people. This club means so much to me and has given me many opportunities to gain experience. I’ve met new people, done camera trapping, and attended the 82nd Midwest Fisheries and Wildlife Conference.

During my first NMU semester, I tried to become an officer for Winter 2022, but was not elected. I reran to be an officer for Fall 2022, and I’m pleased to say that I’ve been voted as secretary for Fall 2022. I am so excited to give back to the club with new experiences, projects, and additional opportunities. I’m also assisting a grad student with research by sorting through a large data set of red fox images from iNaturalist. This data will be used to determine how red fox distribution may be influenced by environmental factors. I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve made, and I look forward to more!

These endless opportunities fuel me with excitement and indecisiveness! Every position I encounter appeals to my interest and passion for conservation, and every time I learn about a new area of study I become instantly fascinated by it. Career areas that are exceptionally interesting to me are invasive species management, endangered species protection, and human-wildlife conflict. I don’t know what exactly I want to be, I just know that I want to contribute to conservation.

So far at Oakland Township Parks, I have enjoyed every second of my time here. From getting rained down on while hunting for garlic mustard, from spreading seed in the heat, and from seeing the beautiful wildlife on habitat restoration adventures. I love being outside, no matter what the conditions are. I love the challenge of being in difficult weather and I love the peace a cool, partly cloudy day can bring. I love coming into work everyday knowing that I am contributing to the wellbeing of the parks!

So far on my journey, I’ve learned that failure should only be motivation to strive farther and work harder. Never give up on your dreams, they just might come true!