Emily Young

Represents the State of Arizona on local, basin wide, and binational environmental programs for the Colorado River by providing biological and National Environmental Policy Act experience. Informs the Director of the Department on emerging issues and provides consultation for decision making. Reviews program budgets and research proposals, and federal environmental compliance documents. Provides comments on publications and work plans, and drafts comment letters on behalf of the State. Assists in field work and data collection with the USFWS, USGS, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Participates as a Federal Advisory Committee Act member on the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (GCAMP) Technical Work Group. Acting chair of the GCDAMP's Smallmouth Bass Ad Hoc Group, and authored a consensus document in 2023 which provided recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior to address invasive fish species in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam.

Provided project coordination and client consultations to ensure their compliance needs were met. Conducted Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting. Lead field surveys including Native Plant Inventories, native and endangered species presence/absence surveys, wetlands delineations, and hazardous materials identification. Reviewed mitigation measures, and observed and reported their success. Prepared Biological Reviews and Evaluations, Phase 1 Site Assessments, Categorical Exclusions, and Environmental Assessments. Handled proposals and contracts, placing bids on potential projects. Provided coordination with local, state, federal, tribal, and private entities.

Provided in-house consulting for Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) on sportfish management and consulted on study design. Conducted field work while responsible for data collection, analysis, and technical writing with the intent to publish. Used ArcGIS, R, and Sigmaplot for statistical analysis. Developed department technical reports and presented findings during poster Sessions at the regional American Fisheries Society chapter meetings and presentations to the Department. Provided Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plans for projects. Field collection of fish otoliths, water and habitat parameters, and wildlife locations using telemetry. Provided educational outreach and surveys to anglers and hunters. Provided coordination between regional AZGFD offices, USFS, and USFWS.

Coordinated and lead interagency invasive species removals, field surveys, and hatchery inspections with USFS, USFWS, multiple zoos and aquariums, as well as volunteers. Assisted in the identification, removal, and toxicity study of New Zealand mudsnails in a hatchery setting. Kept specimens alive in control tanks for duration of study. Identified various invasive species including aquatic vegetation, mollusks and fish. Organized and presented educational outreach with aquarium hobbyists, public exhibitions, angler and boating groups. Prepared an aquatic field guide for departmental use and developed sampling and monitoring protocols for the program. Published for the agency's FishAZ blog posts (under Emily Higuera). Provided assistance to the Terrestrial Invertebrate program through field surveys and specimen collection and organization.

Conducted invasive species removals and organized educational outreach events and strategies. Assisted the Terrestrial Invertebrate and Aquatic Habitat program projects, including the construction of fish habitat and field surveys. Utilized and developer field surveys using Survey123, iCollector, and collected eDNA samples. Watercraft decontamination certified. Trained for invasive species identification and surveying. Represented the federal program Don’t Let It Loose in Arizona by visiting aquariums and hobbyist stores, and working with shop owners to provide supplies and information. Trained in boating, trailering, paddlesport, fish and aquatic vegetation ID.

Maintained a working knowledge of native and nonnative desert plants, as well as local animals in order to educate the public. Provided guided field trips and conducted experiments with children of various grades and learning levels to display complex scientific lessons. Developed new activities and projects for field trips and created field trip proposals. All curriculum was set with a goal of conservation and an understanding of plant and desert animal survival.

Prepared presentations on conservation and scientific concepts to students. Organized and lead tours around the zoo, as well as presented a variety of ambassador animals to large and small groups. Developed activities and experiments focused on STEM curriculum.

Paid experience assisting with daily husbandry tasks as well as research and propagation with a variety of Endangered Species Act and Arizona Conservation Concern listed species; including several species of springsnails, Chiricahua leopard frogs, Mount Graham red squirrels, Black-footed ferrets, Gila topminnow, and Desert pupfish. Collected water and biological samples for laboratory testing. Field research and surveys with the Arizona Game and Fish on Cactus ferruginous pygmy owls and Huachuca springsnails. Daily outreach and presentation of education programs, as well as a research project on the Huachuca springsnails that was presented to colleagues and donors.