Area of Focus#
As the Western Lands Fellow, Laurel’s work focuses on land, water, and wildlife policy in New Mexico. She works to inform decision-makers and partners about policy that protects priority habitat from new development, creates and improves conservation funding, and improves community engagement with public lands.
Background#
Prior to joining WRA, Laurel evaluated ecological restoration techniques across the United States. She worked with nonprofits and government agencies on a variety of ecological research projects from coastal heathlands to mountain forests. She returned home to New Mexico and completed her master’s degree at the University of New Mexico where she investigated how plant communities respond to beaver dam analogs. Her work on this project and others has been used to inform science-based decision-making. Her years of experience studying ecosystems in New Mexico gave her a passion for western landscapes and their conservation. She is interested in supporting policy that protects habitat and connects communities to our public lands.
Education#
- Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont
- Master of Science in Biology from the University of New Mexico
Favorite thing about the West#
Incredible displays of colorful wildflowers, stargazing in the backcountry, and monsoon rainstorms rolling across the landscape.
