Bitter Lake NWR may be only a few miles from UFO hotspots and alien museums, however its actual wonders are earthly and extraordinary. As a part of the Roswell Artesian Wetlands Ramsar Wetland of Worldwide Significance, this distinctive refuge sits on the intersection of the Chihuahuan Desert, the Pecos River, shortgrass prairie, and the Roswell Artesian Basin. It supplies vital habitat for endangered and endemic species just like the Pecos sunflower, Roswell springsnail, Noel’s amphipod, and Pecos pupfish, and serves as a significant migratory stopover alongside the Central Flyway.
Marianne joins the Refuge Affiliation staff by a multi-year, grant-funded initiative supported by the Nationwide Fish and Wildlife Basis’s Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative, which goals to revive habitat, handle invasive species, and bolster ecosystem resilience throughout the area.
This function is a part of a rising custom of on-the-ground conservation at Bitter Lake NWR. Marianne is continuous the work of previous Nationwide Wildlife Refuge Affiliation organic technicians— together with Anna Lee, Tegan Robert, and JC Boothe, who was acknowledged because the Early Profession Conservationist of the Yr for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southwest Area in 2022. Their efforts, together with an American Conservation Expertise crew helped launch vital tasks corresponding to wildlife-friendly fencing for pronghorn migration, invasive species removing, and restoration of delicate wetland habitats. Marianne’s arrival ensures that this vital work continues.
“Marianne brings a uncommon mix of expertise, ardour, and grit to Bitter Lake Nationwide Wildlife Refuge— a spot in contrast to another, nestled within the coronary heart of the Pecos River watershed,” stated Desirée Sorenson-Groves, President & CEO of the Nationwide Wildlife Refuge Affiliation. “This ecosystem is teeming with life discovered nowhere else on Earth, and with help from the Nationwide Fish and Wildlife Basis, we’re proud to proceed placing boots on the bottom to guard it. At a time when federal staffing shortfalls threaten the way forward for nationwide wildlife refuges, Marianne’s work isn’t solely well timed— it’s important.”
Initially from North Carolina, Marianne’s journey into conservation started after a transformative AmeriCorps time period with the Utah Conservation Corps shifted her focus from veterinary drugs to wildlife biology. She holds a M.S. in Biology from Grand Valley State College and has contributed to the restoration of a variety of federally threatened, endangered, and regionally endemic species, together with the Mojave Desert tortoise, Utah prairie canine, Mariana crow, and Woundfin.
At Bitter Lake NWR, Marianne will work carefully with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge workers to guide crews of interns and technicians on habitat restoration tasks. Her major focus consists of managing invasive species corresponding to salt cedar, advancing local weather adaptation efforts, and bettering habitat circumstances for federally threatened and endangered fish, invertebrate, and plant species. She’ll additionally conduct waterbird surveys, monitor uncommon vegetation and aquatic wildlife, and contribute to day by day refuge operations— all part of a long-term dedication to conservation in one of many nation’s most biologically distinctive landscapes.
For questions associated to conservation efforts at Bitter Lake NWR, Marianne will be reached at mkelso@refugeassociation.org.
