Ecological Stewardship Program Manager
Ryan’s love for nature was fostered at a young age through years of outdoor activities with the Boy Scouts. In an effort to better understand what he loved, he received his B.S. in Biology with a minor in Environmental Studies from The College of New Jersey in 2017. He got involved with invasive species by spending time in a research lab that focused on how invasive species and deer interact with the native forest plant communities. After three years in the lab, including two summer experiences, he completed his capstone project researching interactions between invasive plants and invasive earthworms. Since graduating, he spent two years serving with AmeriCorps. His service included managing invasive plants with the Invasives Strike Force, building trails in Sterling Forest, and restoring and protecting aquatic resources in Montana. Ryan spent 2019 as the Trail Conference's Conservation Corps Invasives Strike Force Crew Leader before transitioning to the position of Terrestrial Invasive Species Project Manager. When he’s not waging war against invasive plants, you can find him looking for interesting bugs and fungi, cooking for friends and family, and unwinding through gaming.