I have had a love for biology, specifically ecology, since I was young. After various careers involving different aspects of biology, including a science librarian, a lab technician, and associate director of a field station, I eventually found my way to teaching where I get to share my passion with my students every day. Coming from a farm family and living and working on a cattle ranch for many years, I became even more passionate about preserving our native rangelands and witnessed the effects of woody encroachment firsthand. Therefore, being a part of the Prairie Project seemed like a fitting project for me to join.
My students have participated in a case study about woody encroachment in the Nebraska sandhills. They determine what the problem is, how woody encroachment affects the ecosystems and how fire was a cyclical part of our native ecosystems. Students demonstrate what they have learned by developing a 10 year range management plan to tackle woody encroachment while providing land for their calf/cows.
