MIDDLEBURY — “My favorite part of any watershed is where two streams meet. I feel at home where pristine mountain streams flow into fertile valley soils. Perhaps it’s no surprise that professionally, I like to be at the convergence of science and community. I’ve studied amphibians and pollinators with the US Forest Service and the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, and I’ve been an educator of various levels, from an outdoor elementary school to the Community College of Vermont. But citizen science—where research and community meet—is my passion.”
Monica has worked with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s Community Wildlife Program, where she has aided communities in incorporating natural resources data and techniques into local planning and conservation efforts. She spent several additional years with the Staying Connected Initiative, supporting community-based efforts to understand and maintain a wildlife corridor between the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks. “In both roles,” said Monica, “I’ve sought to imbed science into real-world scenarios. Along with my time as a Master’s student at UVM and other opportunities, these roles have also given me a solid background in community engagement and facilitation, map-making, and interpreting science for a non-scientific audience.”
“The place I now call home is where two watersheds meet. On one side of me water flows into the New Haven River, and on the other into Otter Creek. I’m very excited to work with River Watch in understanding and telling the story of what happens to all of this water as it makes its journey into Lake Champlain. I look forward to working with the data, working with the people, and seeing how we can all work together to understand and maintain a healthy community!”