Hi everyone! My name is Deanna,
To kick off my newsletter I thought I would go with a less intimidating topic for me to write about such as my background and how I got into the conservation field. I think that learning about someone’s background is important to understand the decisions people make and the opinions they hold.
To start I have always loved being outside. I grew up in rural southern Illinois and the majority of my time was spent outside growing up. Fast-forward to when I was deciding what I wanted to study in college, I was between two majors: Physical Therapy or Environmental Science. As you might have guessed I went with environmental science. The deciding factor for me was when I realized “I just want a job where I can be outside all the time” and in the environmental science field that was much more likely.
During my undergrad, I joined a pollination biology research lab and fell in love with fieldwork! Somehow working in glades and prairies in the sweltering Missouri heat with ample ticks and chiggers did not deter me. I am not the only one who stuck it out thought! I am glad I found a passionate community of people who just like me love working in nature (despite the often-uncomfortable conditions).
Towards the end of my bachelor’s degree, I knew wanted my future career to involve habitat restoration and research in some capacity. So after my bachelor’s, I went on to get my master’s degree where I studied moths and prairie plant community composition in tall grass prairie restorations. I considered doing a Ph.D. but ultimately decided I was burnt out on school, tired of living as a poor college student, and wanted to get started with my career.
Now I am finished with school and currently work as a habitat restoration technician! As a passionate person in the conservation field, I also have lots of side projects outside of my day job that I want to fulfill, and this newsletter is one of them. I am very empathetic and have always been good at taking a step back to see that there are always two sides to a story. I love listening to different perspectives even if I don’t always agree. I am open-minded and while I have my opinions I am also not afraid to admit when I am wrong. When talking about the environment (or really any topic ever) there are opposing views and the only way we move forward is by having meaningful conversations (not arguments). So I am putting myself out here to voice my opinions but also to share other points of view, and listen to what you (the audience) think so we can all grow, learn, and inspire others to join the conversation!
Inspirational quote: “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off too.” - Bilbo Baggins, Lord of the Rings.
If you have gotten this far I appreciate you taking the time to read it all! Subscribe if you want to read my future posts and leave a like and a comment so I can get to know you all better!