Elizabeth Spencer
Ecologist
elspence@esf.edu
+1 (518) 402-8892
New York Natural Heritage Program
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
625 Broadway, 5th Floor
Albany, NY 12233-4757
After a decade working for the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Program, Elizabeth transferred to NYNHP in 2004. Since then she has worked on projects across the breadth of the program. Her expertise in forestry, biodiversity conservation and management has seen her become a key liaison with the public lands foresters of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS-DEC). In this role she developed a regionally customized model of training on the application of various NYNHP datasets and tools to native ecosystem and rare biodiversity conservation and management on state forest lands throughout New York. She leads and serves as a member of the team of botanists, zoologists and ecologists that delivers these trainings to NYS-DEC staff. She has provided primary review of state forest Unit Management Plans; surveyed and identified plants, animals and ecosystems; developed and implemented population monitoring protocols for rare plants, ecological communities, vernal pool complexes and stream assessments; and conducted research, habitat modeling, and authored conservation guides and survey protocols for rare plants, rare communities, amphibian and reptile Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN).
Elizabeth earned a BS in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and completed Master’s coursework in Environmental Studies - Conservation Biology at the Antioch New England Graduate School. The words of Mary Oliver resonate deeply for her “Come with me into the woods where spring is advancing, as it does, no matter what, not being singular or particular, but one of the forever gifts, and certainly visible.” She enjoys communing with nature, traveling, art and time with family and friends pursuing quiet sports like paddling, hiking, and cross-country skiing.