Stefanie Lane
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Stefanie Lane is a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, co-advised by Drs. Tara Martin and Nancy Shackelford. Originally from Austin, Texas, Stefanie is a botanist who has developed her diverse expertise through experience and education, from landscaping to laboratory research. Her professional work spans cellular responses to gravity in fern spores, stream and riparian restoration in heavily urbanized landscapes, and wild seed collection for post-fire restoration. During her PhD (2018-2023), Stefanie studied plant community stability and succession in tidal marshes, including vegetation and seed bank resilience following goose herbivory in small estuaries on Vancouver Island. Stefanie is honoured to have twice been awarded as ‘Best Graduate Teaching Assistant’ by the University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry in memory of Dr. Jordan L. Burke. As of January, 2023, Stefanie has taken on the role of Restoration & Research Lead for Project Watershed to contribute restoration design and monitoring success in the streams, rivers, and estuaries of the Comox Valley in partnership with the K'òmoks First Nation on their unceded territory. As part of this partnership, she is committed to Q’WAQ’WALA7OWKW (Keeping it Living) through an enduring and intentional ecological restoration strategy, which has an ethical and moral basis for protecting and restoring the K'òmoks Estuary and its watersheds. In her spare time, you can find Stefanie gardening, baking, or just hanging out with her husband and cat.
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Julia Palozzi |
Hi! My name is Julia Palozzi. I use they or she pronouns and am not too picky about which one is used. I was born and raised on Treaty 13 Territory (Toronto), traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. I am of mixed European ancestry, from Italy, Germany, and Britain. My paternal grandparents emigrated from Abruzzo, Italy and settled in Toronto in the 1950s, and my maternal great-grandparents settled on East and West coasts sometime in the early 1900s. My PhD research focuses on co-developing braided outdoor environmental education programs for high-schoolers (Grades 9 & 10) using community-engaged approaches, with the goal of mapping pathways for integrating environmental education into standard BC curriculum. Despite my current educational focus, my learning journey began in physical geography and meandered to wetland ecology, where I learned about agency and reciprocity from plants as a by-product of my studies. I identify as neurodiverse and also help facilitate peer-support groups for people who stutter and folks on the autism spectrum. I’m deeply privileged to be doing this work on Coast Salish homelands and am grateful for the opportunities to be of service, learn, and grow that come to me through my research and identities. I’m always looking for ways to expand my circle of service and learning; please connect with me if you’d like to chat about any of the work or groups I’m involved in! |
Sarah Bird
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My ancestry is of mixed-European descent, with my paternal grandparents being of English and Danish descent and my maternal grandparents being from Zimbabwe and South Africa, but of mixed-European descent (some Dutch, the rest is uncertain). I grew up on Algonquin territory, near Ottawa, Ontario, and have since spent much time on the territories of the Syilx, Squamish, Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples in British Columbia .
I’m inspired by Earth’s biodiversity and opportunities to learn about and from the world’s ecosystems. In my work, this means working towards conserving and restoring these ecosystems for future generations. I’m a generalist, with a particular passion for the ecology of plants, soils, insects, and related “uncharismatic” terrestrial organisms. My PhD research is focused on the diversity of springtails (order Collembola) in oak meadows. Beyond my research, I’m an avid gardener and crafter that loves to try new things, and spend time outdoors, paint, and take photos. |
Diana Bertuol Garcia |
I am a Brazilian biologist of Italian and Portuguese descent. I was born and raised in the state of São Paulo in southeast Brazil, which encompasses the traditional territories of the Guarani, Kaingang, Krenak and Terena. I love all-things Ecology and am always excited to share that love beyond academia. In the past, I have researched how to develop effective partnerships between scientists and decision-makers in Brazil, and worked several years in secondary Biology education, using problem- and inquiry-based learning strategies to engage students with the natural world. After a few years strolling around Chilean Patagonia as a field instructor for a conservation NGO, I am now excited to come back to research and conduct my PhD research in Environmental Studies at UVic. My research interests span ecological restoration, community ecology, and how ecosystems withstand environmental change. For my thesis, I am studying how the diversity and characteristics of plants in grasslands can influence the capacity of these ecosystems to respond to extreme drought, and what are the implications for their restoration in the face of climate change. When not on the job (and I am grateful that a lot of times also on the job), I love to backpack and get acquainted with the local flora and fauna. You will always find me with my binoculars and a field notebook at hand.
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Erin Rolleman |
I am a second generation Canadian of English and Dutch descent. I grew up on the traditional territories of the Sinixt and Ktunaxa Nations in Nelson, BC. After spending several years living, working, and traveling overseas (primarily in Australia, New Zealand, Hawai’i and eastern Asia), I moved to lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ territories in 2016. Inspired by the diversity of ecosystems around the world and the role humans play in shaping these spaces, I pursued a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Victoria with a double major in Environmental Studies and Geography.
As an MSc student in the School of Environmental Studies, my research is investigating how the environmental impacts associated with urban land use are impacting camas (a flowering plant species commonly found in coastal oak meadows). Bridging plant ecology and landscape ecology, my aim is to better understand how plants interact and respond to their environments to support healthy plant communities into the future. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, camping, climbing, gardening, and making pottery. |
Micah May
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My name is Micah, and I am an MSc candidate at the University of Victoria interested in ecological restoration. I am of Scottish decent and am a fourth generation Canadian, born and raised on the traditional territories of the Ktunaxa and Sinixt Peoples in Nelson, BC. I have a background in environmental science and biology, having received my BSc from the University of Northern BC and having worked as an environmental consultant for four seasons. I love the outdoors and am passionate about implementing ecological restoration projects, particularly those in remote locations, combining technical field work with data analysis and community engagement. I am supervised by Dr. Nancy Shackelford and we are investigating which plant species and revegetation methods can be used to mitigate wind erosion that results in dust storms along the shorelines of the Williston Reservoir in northern BC. Our research collaborators include Tsay Keh Dene Nation, Chu Cho Industries, Chu Cho Environmental, the University of Victoria’s SURREAL Lab, and BC Hydro.
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Hanna Thomson
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My environmental interests were cultivated in the mountains of BC’s interior rainforest and solidified by the coastal landscapes of the Southern Gulf Islands. My passion is to learn about the lands around me and share that knowledge with others, as I believe that connecting people with the other-than-human world will help instigate the social shifts needed to address the wicked environmental challenges we face. I am a generalist ecological practitioner and have experience restoring Garry oak, costal sand, and coastal Douglas-fir ecosystems. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and Environmental Studies and am beginning a Master of Science at the University of Victoria’s School of Environmental Studies. My research will examine the effects of salinity on invasive Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus), a plant commonly considered to be a freshwater species. This research will expand the known ecology of the invasive plant and inform the ongoing development of best management practices for this and similar invasive plants.
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Rebecca Smith |
My name is Becca Smith, and I was born in England but have called Canada home for much of my life. I largely grew up in Southern Ontario, the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, and cultivated many of my research interests in the Canadian Rockies. Specifically in the traditional territories of the Iyârhe Nakoda of the Bearspaw, Wesley, and Chiniki First Nations, the Blackfoot Confederacy of the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani First Nations, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Métis Nation of Alberta.
I am interested in understanding the impacts of human disturbances on wildlife populations and examining the ways we can solve these modern conservation challenges. Under the co-supervision of both Dr. Nancy Shackelford and Dr. Jason Fisher of the ACME Lab, I’m using wildlife camera traps to study the large mammals of western Canada (e.g. bears, wolves, coyotes). Specifically, I’m seeking to answer questions that pertain to the configuration of landscape alteration features, protected areas, and human recreation across ecosystems and the implications of such configurations in both Rocky Mountain and boreal forest landscapes. I previously contributed to research on insect diversity in Costa Rica, post-construction monitoring of amphibian/reptile populations in Ontario, and the ecological integrity of the Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks. |
Sam Ahler
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My name is Sam Ahler, I use they/them pronouns right now, and I was born in what is now Wisconsin—the traditional territories of the Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Potawatomi, Dakota, and Ojibwe Nations. I am of English and German descent and my family immigrated to North America in the 1720s. I have Bachelor’s Degrees from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies, with a minor in LGBTQ+ Studies. I worked in oak savannas, tallgrass prairies, and on temperate lakes. As a PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of Colorado - Boulder, I work with Katharine Suding and Nancy Shackelford in the mixed grass prairies along the Front Range of Colorado. I now live and work in the traditional territories of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Ute, Apache, Comanche, Kiowa, Lakota, Pueblo and Shoshone Nations. In collaboration with the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms, I study the impact of small-scale environmental conditions on grass establishment, growth, and survival. In addition, I study vegetative—or clonal—methods of reproduction in grasses to better understand individual and population persistence and the mechanisms linking population-level dynamics to ecosystem-level processes. |
Julia Sinclair |
Julia Sinclair (she/her) is a research assistant for the Restoration Futures Lab focused on creating an interactive and accessible database for the Global Restore and Global Arid Zone Project. Julia is a white settler fortunate to live, study and work on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples. Passionate about restoration and environmental data, Julia is currently completing a computer science and environmental studies undergraduate degree at the University of Victoria. Having grown-up in Brisbane, Australia, the traditional territory of the Jagera and Turrbal peoples, Julia loves the ocean and is often found at Cadboro Bay or, in winter, the local pool.
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Myah Mattes
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My name is Myah and I grew up Trail, B.C. in the traditional territory of the Sinixt First Nation. I am a third generation Canadian of Italian and German heritage. Throughout my undergrad, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to live and study in the Traditional Territories of the Songhees, Esquimalt, W̱SÁNEĆ, Tseshaht and Huu-ay-aht peoples. My experiences on these lands have inspired my passion for understanding human-ecosystem interactions, and how restoration science can be used to benefit both parties.I am a research assistant at the Restoration Futures Lab with a BSc in Anthropology from the University of Victoria. I have a keen interest in the disciplines of archaeology, biology and ecology and am fascinated by the ways humans have interacted with landscapes throughout time. As a research assistant, I spend most of my time working with MSc candidate Micah May in his efforts to revegetate and mitigate dust emissions along the Williston Reservoir in Tsay Keh Dene Territory. I love spending time outdoors, whether that be hiking mountains in the Kootenays, or paddle boarding and kayaking along the coast of Vancouver Island.
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Christina McNeice |
Hello! My name is Christina (she/her) and I grew up near Tees, AB on the traditional territory of the Cree Nation as a third generation settler. I moved to the unceded territory of the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ in 2018 to attend UVIC for a double major of Computer Science and Environmental Studies.
I have been working with the lab since for about two years in some capacity, most recently as a field assistant. My duties have included photos monitoring of oak meadow ecosystems, creation of field guides, assistance with research plots set up, soil data measurements and more. Working with such an excellent team has brought so many opportunities I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such a great lab and gain perspective and experience while pursuing education. |
Nancy Shackelford |
Hello! I am an Assistant Professor in the School of Environmental Studies and the Academic Director of the Restoration of Natural Systems Program. I was born and raised in West Texas, in traditional Jumano and Apache territory. I've been an uninvited guest in these territories for around eight years. My experience with restoration is diverse, from the scrubby woodlands of Texas, to the grasslands of Colorado, to the amazing cedar and fir forests on our local coastline. I have a deep, abiding, unshakeable love for data, knowledge, and leveraging our shared work to continually enhance restoration outcomes. I gravitate towards terrestrial restoration in experimental and observational science, but am continually expanding my integration of the social, human sides of restoration.
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