It is with great joy that we welcome Emily (Emm) Clark to the Sageland Collaborative team as our Avian Ecologist! In this role, Emm will be leading our efforts on Utah’s portion of the Intermountain West Shorebird Survey while also working to expand the efforts of our cross-hemispheric counterparts through the International Phalarope Working Group.

Emm joins us with a rich background in bird conservation, community engagement, and collaborative communication. We are excited to see how Emm will enrich these programs for the Sageland Community and the birds we love.

Get to know Emm in our interview below!

Can you tell us what interests you about Sageland Collaborative?

I was immediately drawn to the bottom-up approach to conservation implemented by the Sageland Collaborative team. Only when we understand the needs of our human and nonhuman communities and form meaningful partnerships can we create lasting change. Validating different ways of knowing, working together, promoting habitat connectivity, and healing our degraded systems are paramount to a better conservation ethos. I was drawn to the way Sageland facilitates community engagement and am so excited to start contributing to these efforts.

What are you most excited for in this role?

I am super excited to work with the dedicated team of people including an amazing community scientist network to conduct the Intermountain West Shorebird Survey. This effort is critical to better understand changes in populations and the ability of habitats to support birds over time, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.

I am also starting my first week with an epic trip to Argentina for the meeting of the International Phalarope Working Group. I look forward to sharing that with everyone.

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I am originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts which is also an important breeding area for many shorebirds. My first field job was monitoring Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, and Least Tern nesting behavior and breeding productivity. I was completely enthralled with observing these incredible birds, from learning their behaviors to seeing how many obstacles they face just to fledge one chick. I knew that I wanted to dedicate my career to making sure these birds can thrive in the future. Over the years, I have worked with numerous species of shorebirds, wading birds, seabirds, and most recently in Tucson, Arizona, expanded to landbirds, which has been amazing.

*Emm hiking with her dogs, Paloma and Hamish*

What do you love about shorebirds, wildlife, conservation, etc.? Tell us what sparks your passion!

Surveying Desert Purple Martin Cavity with Endoscope in Tuscon, Arizona

I am fascinated by all creatures. Often when I go on a “hike” I don’t make it further than a ¼ mile because I stop to visit with the plants, watch insects, try to identify tracks I’m seeing, and listen for calls of different birds. I try not to pick favorites because they are all amazing!

I am passionate about empowering community-based conservation, and dedicated to making the conservation field more inclusive, just, and equitable.

Can you touch on the importance of cross-hemispheric communication in conservation?

During various field biology roles, I’ve had the opportunity to live in six different states and four countries. Getting to know so many diverse people and places has been my greatest learning opportunity. I value different knowledge systems and the importance of cross-cultural communication. As we all know, birds don’t care about political boundaries. Most shorebirds migrate long distances from the northern to the southern hemisphere and unfortunately are experiencing steep population declines overall. It’s imperative that conservation efforts think about the full-life cycle of these birds. We need to consider what’s going on at breeding and nonbreeding sites, as well as critical stopover sites during their migration. That means making sure conservation efforts are coordinated, people share successes, and we work collaboratively on the challenges.

Any notable conservation experiences you'd like to share?

One the defining experiences of my life was spending two years as a Research and Conservation Fellow at the Kino Bay Center for Cultural and Ecological studies based in Sonora, Mexico. I led the Waterbird Monitoring Program, working to better understand the status of birds along the estuaries of the Hermosillo Coast and islands in the Gulf of California. Focusing on collaborative community conservation, we applied for and received the designation of a Ramsar site (a Wetland of International Importance) for Estero La Cruz as the 139th site in Mexico, mainly based on the importance of shorebirds using that area. This was a great source of pride in the community and helped to expand education and protection efforts.

Emily (Emm) joined the Sageland Collaborative team in early 2024. She got her start monitoring endangered Piping Plovers along the shorelines of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and was hooked. Since then, Emm’s career in field biology and community engagement took her across the U.S. and Latin America before landing in Tucson, Arizona.

Prior to joining our team, Emm spent seven years working with the Sonoran Joint Venture, a regional partnership leading collaborative bird and habitat conservation in the southwest U.S. and northwest Mexico. She earned a B.S. in Environmental Conservation from the University of New Hampshire and an M.S. in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature whether birding, meandering, or camping. She loves practicing yoga, traveling, and being a caretaker for two dogs, a turtle, and a desert tortoise.

Contact Emm.

All photos courtesy of Emm Clark.

Welcoming our New Avian Ecologist