This summer, Little River Wetlands Project was pleased to host two summer interns, Emerson Brink and Joshua Groeling. In this podcast they are interviewed by Preserve and Volunteer Steward Charles Sifferlen about their experience working in Eagle Marsh. For anyone considering a career in conservation, they provide excellent insight into what that can be like.

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org. 

Professor and Chair of Biology at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Mark has expertise in wildlife conservation and serves on the Land Committee.

https://www.pfw.edu/about-pfw/who-we-are/directories/mark-jordan

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org. 

This month’s episode is a little different than usual. We are participating in the worldwide Podcasthon. We will be one of over 1,400 podcasts participating this year. The idea is that each podcast will feature its favorite nonprofit and release the episode this week as part of a coordinated effort to draw attention to the good work of nonprofits all around the world. Of course, our podcast will be dedicated to our favorite nonprofit, the Little River Wetlands Project.

Guests: Cammy Sutter, Executive Director Don Cunningham, Lead Preserve Steward Aly Munger, Wetland Educator Charles Sifferlen, Preserve and Volunteer Steward David Keuhl, Development Administrator

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org. 

Eric P. Ellingson is a certified Professional Geologist, Senior Professional Wetland Scientist, and Registered Wetland Delineator with over 30 years of experience in hydrology, geomorphology, and ecological restoration. As President of Earth Source Inc. and founder of Heartland Restoration Services, he has led innovative projects in natural resource management since 1988. A recognized expert, Eric serves on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual peer review team and the Indiana Wetland Science Advisory Group.

He has lectured at major universities, sharing expertise in wetland hydrology and restoration. With a strong foundation in geology and water resource management from Indiana University, he is dedicated to advancing environmental stewardship and ecological restoration.

https://www.earthsourceinc.net/

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org. 

Jesus Rosario, a 20 year military veteran and Fort Wayne transplant, has been living in the city for over 18 years and is currently employed by the city Parks and Recreation Department as an Event Coordinator. Jesus has been involved in various non-profit organizations since 2013. He has experience working in a variety of roles including volunteer, program director, instructor, coach, board member, treasurer, organizer and special committee member. His love of plants and nature began as a child growing up in Puerto Rico. Through continued shared knowledge and experience Jesus has grown his passion for horticulture and is focused on soil regeneration methods that can be applied in urban and suburban areas. Raising awareness within communities by educating the public on how we can protect our natural resources is one of his main goals.

(From https://savemaumee.org/contact/about-us/)

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org. 

Save Maumee: https://savemaumee.org/

Maraiah was inspired to follow her interests in wildlife conservation while growing up on her grandparent's small farm in Southeastern IN. Learning about gardening, beekeeping, and animal care led to a lifelong concern for nature, starting with a career as a veterinary technician at Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. There, she had the opportunity to contribute to local, state, and international conservation projects and care for wild ambassadors. In her personal time, she pursued interests that supported pollinators, including organizing native plant sales, giving pollinator presentations, and supporting local nature organizations. She then focused on conserving and restoring wetland, prairie, and wooded habitats at the Little River Wetlands Project. She found working alongside her community and volunteers to build habitats for imperiled species and partnering with conservation organizations very fulfilling. Maraiah is eager to continue working to support pollinator conservation while coordinating Project Wingspan in Indiana.

(From https://www.pollinator.org/people/maraiah-russell)

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org. 

Pollinator Partnership - https://www.pollinator.org/

 

Dr. Ryan Schnurr is a professor, writer, and producer who covers climate, culture, infrastructure, and more. He holds a PhD from Purdue University and an MA from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Humanities and Communication at Trine University. He is the author of ‘In the Watershed’ and recently created and produced the podcast series Fire! on industrial fires and American culture.

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org. 

-Fire! Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fire/id1714910327 OR https://open.spotify.com/show/4aaMFtOkyRgMakLfQWlDpL   -Berry poem: https://www.context.org/iclib/ic30/berry/ (You could probably cut the part where I quote the intro to this, as I slightly misquoted it--ha! And start with the "does not compute" part? Just a thought.)   -Johnson book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/645855/what-if-we-get-it-right-by-ayana-elizabeth-johnson/   -McKibben newsletter: https://billmckibben.substack.com/

Eva Curtis has served as the Preserve and Volunteer Steward for the Little River Wetlands Project for the past year, dedicating her efforts primarily to the Eagle Marsh Preserve. Her work has focused on managing the wetland and coordinating the many volunteers who contribute to its care. Over this time, she has gained invaluable insight into stewardship and environmental conservation. In this interview, she shares a real-world perspective on working in conservation for a small nonprofit land trust in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org.