“Budding Ecologists” — Nachusa’s Role in Mentoring the Next Generation of Natural Areas Managers

​By Cody Considine

​Please join us in saluting Nathaniel Weickert, who recently left to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Kansas. Over the last two and a half field seasons, Nathaniel had many roles, from his first position as a Restoration Technician to his most recent position as our first McCormick Resident Fellow. Plants are Nathaniel’s passion. He quickly became the person we would go to with plant ID questions. His kind and gentle personality also made him a joy to work with. Although we will miss him and his talents, we are awfully proud and wish him the best on his next adventure in Lawrence.

Nathaniel Weickert

Amanda Contreras

​Please join us to congratulate and welcome Amanda Contreras as the new Nachusa Grasslands’ McCormick Resident Fellow. Amanda joined our team this past spring as the Assistant Crew Leader. She jumped right in and quickly became a force in helping us with prescribed fire, weed management, and seed harvest. Amanda brings a lot of diverse experience, having worked for other non-profit conservation organizations that included a project in Costa Rica. Her personality is just as impressive as her work ethic. She is well respected among her peers and within the overall Nachusa community.

​In her new role she will lead the crew for the remainder of this field season, which includes harvesting a couple more thousand pounds of seed from 150 species to plant 50+ acres this fall. In addition to the fall planting and prescribed fire season, she will also be interwoven into the bison roundup, helping with various tasks. This winter she will operate chainsaws and large equipment, removing brush in our oak woodlands. Next spring she will work to become qualified as a line boss position on prescribed fire. By the end of her residency (December 2020), Amanda will have the skillsets, confidence, and humility to be a natural areas manager.

Tyler Pellegrini

Finally, please join us to congratulate Tyler Pellegrini for his new promotion as the Assistant Crew Leader. Tyler interned with us last fall and was then hired on this spring as the Lead Restoration Technician. Tyler, an Air Force veteran and recent graduate of NIU, has helped strengthen our team this past season in the work he’s done in prescribed fire, weed management, co-leading the crew, and seed harvest. A rising star within the field, he recently accepted a full-time position as the new Restoration Ecologist for the Natural Land Institute. We couldn’t be happier for all of Tyler’s recent successes and are grateful to have him until his time comes to an end this December.

​Bill and I, along with Elizabeth and Dee, would agree that one of the most gratifying experiences in managing natural areas is helping grow the next generation of natural areas managers. We are immensely grateful for all of our young professionals who choose to start their careers at Nachusa.
 
Please give them a shout out next time you come for a visit.

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Cody Considine is the Deputy Director at The Nature Conservancy’s Nachusa Grasslands.