Recapping the INRMP Climate Fellow Position

As an Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP) Climate Fellow with the MANO project, my primary responsibilities revolve around creating climate profiles to add onto INRMP documents, which essentially plan out and facilitate conservation requirements for Army installations. Over the past year, I have been curating profiles for USFWS Regions 1 (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Hawaii) and 7 (Alaska), specifically focusing on how near-future climate conditions will impact the natural resources managed by each installation. The DoD Conference we attended last week was the final milestone of our fellowship, as we got to meet with and present our work to the Army leaders responsible for the implementation and monitoring of natural resource plans on installations throughout the United States.

Visiting the Department of Interior Headquarters

On Day 1 of the DoD Conference, we had the amazing opportunity to meet with the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Martha Williams, at the Department of Interior Headquarters. While the meeting only lasted about 15 minutes, we still managed to have an incredibly insightful discussion. Not only was it inspiring to see a woman lead the USFWS, but it was amazing to meet someone capable of being incredibly career-driven and passionate while maintaining a kind and welcoming demeanor. To me, these traits were indicative of a positive work environment, where no matter what stage of your career you might be in, you are an important part of keeping the cogs turning in the massive machine that is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ms. Williams is also an excellent role model as well, as during our short time together, she demonstrated interest in getting to know more about each of us, including our backgrounds and professional interests, what drew us to becoming climate scientists, and what we hope to see in future generations of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
On Day 2, we returned to the DOI building to meet with the Directors of the USFWS International Affairs Program, which was an excellent opportunity to learn the role that the United States plays in global conservation efforts.

Trip to the Pentagon
On Day 3 of the DoD Conference, we finally got to visit the Pentagon. We met with the leaders of the U.S. Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment: Assistant Secretary Rachel Jacobsen, Deputy Assistant Secretary Amy L. Borman, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Paul W. Farnan. During these meetings, we had the opportunity to have in-depth discussions about climate change and the future of conservation on military lands with Army leaders. It was great being able to share our experiences building the profiles from scratch and to demonstrate how much we’ve learned during our Fellowship. Our day at the Pentagon was definitely my favorite part of the Conference. As remote workers, opportunities to collaborate in-person are more rare, and we tend to spend most of our time working independently. For me, this has resulted in some days where my struggles with imposter syndrome are greater than I’ve experienced in other positions. Receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback on our accomplishments from such passionate and accomplished individuals in the Army was extremely inspiring. During these conversations, each Fellow also received a Certificate of Appreciation from Ms. Borman, which validated all of our hard work and was a very heartfelt moment that I will never forget! Ultimately, I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to make positive changes towards Army resiliency and natural resource management in the present and for the future.

Reflections
While the meetings we attended during the Conference were extremely fun, personable, and informative experiences, one of the most important parts of the trip was the advice that each leader shared with us. Since everyone we met came from different backgrounds and careers, the most universal advice we received was to understand that the path we each take to accomplish our career goals is often a completely unique and non-linear journey. With our career paths being described as a “pin-ball machine,” we were encouraged to be confident in our choices and where they take us. Similarly, it is important to try to avoid comparing our journeys to what other people have done in their own careers, ultimately indicating that we have to trust where our choices take us. Another piece of advice was to be conscious of who we want to learn from, since the possibility to expand on our education is most likely greater when you choose who you want to learn from rather than where you want to work. In simpler terms, “choose your teacher, not the class.” Finally, as climate change is ushering us into a scary and uncertain future, I think the most important takeaway we can all learn from is the importance of science communication. Knowing your audience and carefully choosing how you convey that information is essential to pushing our goals forward. For example, climate change is a particularly polarizing term in today’s political climate. However, it is our job to use terminology that conveys the benefits of adapting to climate change in ways that every audience will understand (e.g., instead of climate change, try using resiliency instead).

Moving Forward
Overall, the Department of Defense Conference I attended was invaluable to my career going forward. While learning more about the intricacies of the DoD and the USFWS were of great interest to me, I want to emphasize how important it is that we feel empowered with the
knowledge that all of us young professionals will carry into our next jobs. While we are likely to face more challenges in natural resource careers over the coming years, we have the power to keep advocating for science and to continue protecting the natural world. Being able to meet with
leadership in these organizations confirmed that the work young professionals are contributing to conservation is some of the most important work being done today. I hope through sharing my experiences with this Fellowship and the DoD Conference, I’ve inspired you to continue pursuing opportunities with organizations like Hispanic Access Foundation, who have cultivated a space for me to feel empowered as a BIPOC and have helped open doors for me to enter the field of natural resource conservation within the federal government. To conclude, it is so important for everyone reading this to continue using your voice to protect the intrinsic right of wildlife and plants to exist, which will ultimately maintain the health and natural beauty of our planet for generations to come.