Dylan Finley
Restoration Ecologist
Philadelphia,PA
Summary
I am an ecologist with 7 years of experience managing natural resources and gardens in NY, PA, and HI. I have experience overseeing restoration programs, managing greenhouse operations, and leading educational programs. Inspiring people to learn about and care for the natural world is my passion.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Ecosystem Restoration Specialist
ArcheWild
3 2023 - Current
- Managing restoration projects. client communication, and contracts at multiple properties, including rain gardens, community centers, and private residences
- Selecting plants for restoration projects based off of habitat suitability and client needs
- Leading crews in planting, soil work, weeding, herbicide application, and equipment operation, including use of tractors, trucks, chainsaws, blowers, mowers, and tillers
- Collecting, cleaning, and sowing seeds
- Presenting to local organizations on best restoration practices
Habitat Restoration Coordinator
Keālia Pond – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
01.2022 - 12.2022
- Led community effort to restore critically endangered Hawaiian dry forest habitat on wildfire burned federal land, at a planting rate triple the rate before I began
- Managed a 5,000-plant greenhouse. Instructed interns on fertilizing, sowing, potting, taking inventory, and pest control
- Recruited volunteers and partners to participate in the project. Tripled volunteers
- Educated participants on the importance of dry forests, proper tool usage, equipment operation, and plant propagation
- Devised and implemented a restoration plan, including plant selection, site selection, and invasive species removal techniques
- Designed and installed an efficient portable drip irrigation system
Graduate Research Assistant
SUNY College Of Environmental Science And Forestry
08.2019 - 05.2021
- Created a novel, data-driven method for assigning invasive management priorities, adopted by NY's Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM)
- Research published in the scientific journal Biological Invasions
- Presented at the North American Invasive Species Management Association conference
Land Steward With Student Conservation Association
Vassar Ecological Preserve
01.2018 - 08.2019
- Mapped plant communities across 500 acres of the Vassar Preserve through detailed ecological assessments, data analysis, and GIS
- Trained 10 interns in plant ID, GPS, ArcGIS, vegetation assessment, trail management, beaver dam mitigation, invasive plant surveying and removal
- Applied and received funding for a 3-day service project where I led a 50-person crew planting trees in priority habitats, removing invasive species, and constructing trails
- Wrote a report outlining climate change impacts to the Preserve and how to adapt
- Led guided hikes in plant ID, phenology, tree bark, and ecology
- Enforced rules about unauthorized use of the preserve
Education
Master of Science - Conservation Biology (3.6 GPA)
SUNY College of Environmental Science And Forestry
Syracuse, NY 08.2019 - 05.2021
Bachelor of Arts - Urban Studies, Environmental Studies (3.7 GPA)
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY 09.2013 - 05.2017
Skills
Natural Resource Management
Botany
Ecological Restoration
Environmental Education
Horticulture
Certification
Pennsylvania Certified Pesticide Applicator
Volunteer
- Green Acres Community Garden: Prepared greenhouse plants for sale (Patterson, NJ 2023)
- Maui Nui Botanical Gardens: Potted up, took cuttings, prepared plants for sale (Kahului, HI 2022)
- Friends of Haleakalā National Park: Led multi day backpacking volunteer service trips into the (dormant) Haleakalā volcanic crater (Kula, HI 2022)
Timeline
Pennsylvania Certified Pesticide Applicator
07-2023
Wilderness First Responder
02-2023
ATV/UTV
04-2022
Habitat Restoration Coordinator
Keālia Pond – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
01.2022 - 12.2022
Master of Science - Conservation Biology (3.6 GPA)
SUNY College of Environmental Science And Forestry
08.2019 - 05.2021
Graduate Research Assistant
SUNY College Of Environmental Science And Forestry
08.2019 - 05.2021
Land Steward With Student Conservation Association
Vassar Ecological Preserve
01.2018 - 08.2019
Bachelor of Arts - Urban Studies, Environmental Studies (3.7 GPA)
Vassar College
09.2013 - 05.2017
Ecosystem Restoration Specialist
ArcheWild
3 2023 - Current
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