Introduction:

“I am Dr. Lindsay Rosa and I've been with Defenders of Wildlife for four years. I direct Defenders' Center of Conservation Innovation which is home to an incredibly talented group of experts in conservation science, policy and web technologies.”

 

How did you get your start in conservation?

“I was fortunate enough to grow up in the temperate forests of New England, in an area where the only neighbors you could see from the property were black bears, bobcats, eagles, and other cool critters. My personal favorite pastime was turning over rocks at the creek in search of salamanders. I also had an amazing mentor growing up that showed me how to mold this interest into a career. My godfather, Dr. Tim Casey was an academic whose research embodied biodiversity; he studied everything from desert caterpillars to wolves in Alaska.

I believe that I am just one of many folks in the field that exemplify why it is so critical that everyone is able to experience nature and have someone to share it with.”

 

Could you tell us more about the Center for Conservation Innovation?

“The Center is something really unique that sets Defenders apart from other conservation organizations. It is a recognition that yesterday’s approaches to conservation are inadequate for tackling the growing challenges. We explore, pioneer and advocate for new approaches to advancing Defenders mission to protect and recover imperiled wildlife and their habitats.

At the intersection of science, technology and policy, we identify challenges in conservation and we work to address them by filling knowledge gaps with new research, imagining new approaches with broad partners and demonstrating the possible by putting creative ideas into practice. Much of our work is done to help inform conservation decisions being made at all scales - from local to national. For example, we use maps and spatial data to share the broader significance of a backyard for a specific species or for national biodiversity conservation efforts. We make it possible for non-experts to harness the power of machine learning to identify habitat loss in their neighborhood. But the power of technology also enables a two-way street: community science platforms - now just a click away on your smart phone - allow individuals to share their own data with the world. This can be an amazing resource in places and for species where there are big data gaps.

On the policy side, we do research to identify how to better support and strengthen bedrock environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act – much of this is closely tied to species recovery activities that need to be carried out in local communities across the country. Restoring biodiversity at local levels supports local economies, drives improved ecosystem services to benefit those communities and can provide greater access to nature.”

 

What highlights stand out to you in your work to protect wildlife?

“Tromping around the woods of New England – where I grew up – with Jeff Corwin in Defenders’ television series Wildlife Nation is up there.

Another one is taking on Defenders’ work on 30x30: Defenders is a science-based organization, and this was a key example of us working to ensure that conservation is driven by best available science. When there was nothing more than promotional campaigns to support the national conservation commitment, Defenders was the first to come out with research for helping decision makers understand potential pathways for addressing the biodiversity crisis in the US.

We are still leading the way with key partners, so stay tuned!"

 

Does Earth Day hold a special place for you and your family?

“I believe that every day is Earth Day! But yes, Earth Day does hold a special place. My daughter is an April baby, and Earth Day was the first ‘holiday’ that we got to celebrate with her.

We still take the time to go out and do a nature walk or scavenger hunt each year for Earth Day. I look forward to keeping up the tradition and seeing how it evolves as she gets older – especially now that she is a big sister.”

Click here to learn more about Lindsay and her work at Defenders!

Click here to see last month's Meet Defenders profile!