Mercedes is a high endurance athlete that runs trail ultramarathons, backpacks, and is an avid tuber in her spare time. She also has her own non-profit, ConserVANtion, that focuses on environmental stewardship and ecological restoration. Mercedes grew up in a little town, where she developed her love for the outdoors. She received her BS in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. While working towards her undergrad degree, she studied symbiotic relationships in Belize, and plant ecology and management in Australia at the University of Newcastle-Callaghan. Mercedes then received her MS in Forestry from Mississippi State University. After graduating, she worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming and Colorado. She then accepted a position as the Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture. Afterwards, she returned to Colorado to work as a Wildlife Biology Technician for the Southwest Conservation Corps and Bureau of Land Management in Canon City, CO. Now, she's a Forester for the Colorado State Forest Service where she works to educate landowners about wildfire mitigation, enhancing wildlife habitat, and forest stewardship.  Bobby is joined by Mercedes to discuss, ultramarathon running, mountain life, training in altitude, Biology, Forestry, Tubing, Backpacking, Island Life COVID-19 pandemic & much more. Please subscribe or like us on social media platforms for updates on the show, events, and episode drops.

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