Valerie joined LP&CT in the fall of 2024, as a Junior at UMass Lowell. We’ve been lucky to have Valerie for almost two years, along with her passion for the field of urban ecology (a rare find) and her intellectual curiosity. Soon, she’s off to get her PhD at Fordham. Below, she shares more about her experience, where she’s headed, and even has some advice to pass along.
Tell us a little about yourself. I recently received my Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) where I was studying biology and environmental science. I’m originally from Chicago; however, I wanted to move elsewhere for university, and UML provided a good education at an affordable price.
What brought you to LP&CT? I became interested in urban ecology after my freshman year at UML, when I learned about the Urban Wildlife Institute at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. UML is an excellent school, however there is a lack of wildlife-focused research on the ecosystem scale. A couple years ago, I was told by one of my professors that LP&CT was hiring. Being an organization that leads local urban conservation efforts, working here seemed like the perfect way to get introduced to urban ecology. Through the Trust, I have been able to participate in local conservation initiatives while also engaging with the community.
What projects are you most proud of during your time at LP&CT?
My initial role at LP&CT was caring for Blanding’s turtles and managing growth data for the Hatchling and Turtle Conservation Through Headstarting (HATCH) program in partnership with Zoo New England. This past year, we expanded the program to include Spotted Turtles in partnership with the Smithsonian National Zoo, where I collected fitness data for ongoing research. I also helped write a successful grant proposal that secured $20,000 to support LP&CT’s turtle conservation efforts.
This past year, I worked with artist Ingrid Hess on a series of educational habitat banners for LP&CT. I researched and wrote descriptions for each habitat and the plants and animals found there, while Ingrid brought them to life through her artwork. My favorite was the heathland habitat at Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, a rare ecosystem maintained through practices such as controlled burns and selective cutting. I’m excited that the banner will help raise awareness of this unique habitat.
What is next for you? This fall, I’ll begin a PhD in Biological Sciences at Fordham University in New York City, where I’ll study urban pollinator ecology. My research will focus on how human land management influences bee-plant communities and how cities can better support both wildlife and people. Urban gardens and farms provide important habitat for pollinators while also strengthening people’s connections to nature and each other. I hope my research will help bridge the gap between scientists, communities, and the natural world, ultimately contributing to healthier, more biodiverse cities.
Ultimately, as I grow within the scientific community, I want to apply my ecological study to inform the design of biodiverse and sustainable cities, contributing to a movement that creates a healthy and thriving urban ecosystem for both people and wildlife.
What have you learned about conservation in cities? I’ve learned that one of the biggest challenges in cities is helping people reconnect with nature. When people spend time outdoors and experience local wildlife firsthand, they’re much more likely to care about protecting it. That’s what makes LP&CT’s free programs so valuable. Whether it’s a bird walk, a volunteer project, or an educational hike, they give people meaningful ways to experience nature and become active stewards. Creating community through conservation isn’t just our tagline, it’s one of the best ways to strengthen conservation in our cities.
Do you have any final thoughts for the LP&CT community? I think we often justify conservation initiatives based on the ecosystem service(s) people receive from what’s being protected (e.g., “Save the Bees” because without the bees, there would be food scarcity). But creating conditions for what taxa is worthy of conservation based on perceived benefits makes protection just that: conditional. And if protection is conditional, who gets to set those conditions?
I have been thinking about that question a lot lately, especially in the context of LP&CT’s turtle conservation and my future research in conservation ecology. The turtles that the Trust works to protect don’t provide shade or pollination, but they are another living entity worthy of habitat and stewardship. We know that human development has had harmful impacts on their population, so it’s our job as people to reverse those affects.
I consider humans to be stewards of the Earth. We have managed to reach and alter every inch of this planet, building a collective encyclopedia on thousands of different species, habitats, and how human action affects it all. I encourage you all to utilize this knowledge. Learn about that weird bug you’ve seen a couple times and how you both fit within the greater ecosystem. Get outside and befriend your local groundhog. Stay curious about the world around you.
Community is a powerful thing. It creates resiliency and belief in a better future. Build a community both with each other and with nature.
“Stay Curious About the World Around You”