My childhood home is situated on the top of a hill with a hardwood swamp at the foot. Many evenings were spent in the company of my sister and neighbors roaming the swamp in search of currency for our favorite pastime, simply called “shop.” While this currency solely consisted of decaying garbage dumped decades prior, intense trading would commence. But aside from the treasure trove, I could sense the intrinsic value that the swamp held and what drew us to explore in the first place. I could feel a lifelong dream developing despite my vague grasp of conservation at the time – to protect the inhabitants of this land.

This manifested as a hope to become a veterinarian at first, a profession I was familiar with. But as I aged, I became increasingly aware of the dichotomy in our concern with certain organisms – those considered man’s best friend versus those (often unfairly) considered nuisances or threats to man. My dream to become a veterinarian began to shift towards caring for wildlife and the environment.

In 2020, I enrolled in Oakland University to pursue a B.S. in Biology. While I thoroughly enjoyed learning about different ecological principles and processes in some of my favorite classes, I felt as though I was leaving behind my love for mathematics and technology that I cultivated as a child. Things began to fall into place after taking my first GIS (Geographic Information System) course, which allowed me to combine that love with my passion for environmental science. I graduated from OU in winter of 2024 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Applied GIS.

During my time at OU, I had the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience in environmental monitoring and education at the Clinton River Watershed Council and the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center. Working with native animals and spending time observing nature as a job quickly developed and solidified my desire to have a long-term career in environmental science and monitoring.

While at OU, I was also fortunate enough to take a trip to Ecuador for a Tropical Field Ecology course, where I unexpectedly fell in love with birding. Upon returning home, I began to notice the birds I had taken for granted for so many years, previously apathetic to their vibrant plumage or not bothering to search for their impressive camouflage. I have since spent much of my free time appreciating the variety of species in Southeast Michigan and the unique traits that each one possesses. Every day I look forward to observing the birds living in their own world, a world intertwined with ours yet so often overlooked and underappreciated. My favorite find so far is pictured in the collage below – an immature male summer tanager I stumbled upon near the beginning of my birding journey.

While I am still working to figure out where I will find my niche within this field, I am certain that the experience from this stewardship position with Oakland Township is invaluable to the development of my professional career. I have already had the opportunity to integrate environmental monitoring and GIS with invasive species monitoring and treatment, in addition to participating in my favorite hobby during the Wednesday morning bird walks. I am excited to continue to learn about the intrinsic value that all Southeast Michigan ecosystems hold, and the ways that we can protect it. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with and learn from the professionals in this field, as well as from the supportive community within Oakland Township!