The Frontier of Urban Wilderness
July 26, 2016Finding Inspiration in a Bee Highway
August 3, 2016“Events have been set in motion whose echo will be heard a thousand or more generations from now.” – J. Valor, Salome
Great Ecology is pleased to announce Randy Mandel, who has more than 32 years of experience as a restoration ecologist and applied plant scientist, has joined our team. His passion for ecological restoration was inspired by a love of the outdoors and a deep desire to be part of the solution.
Randy’s expertise includes wetland, riparian, rangeland, desert, and forest ecologies; plant taxonomy and synonymy; restoration/reclamation project design, layout, and implementation; site assessment and monitoring; site-specific seed collection; native plant propagation and cultivation; wetland delineation; wetland mitigation banking; threatened and endangered species surveys; and the integration of native species into traditional and modern landscape design. His work has been featured on Aspen Public Radio.
Randy says he was attracted to Great Ecology because of the “presence of kindred individuals on-staff who, together, would be wonderful to help create projects of lasting value, benefit, and that further collective knowledge.”
Randy’s recent publications include Searchable River Revegetation Guide for Colorado and Living Streambanks: A Manual of Bioengineering Treatments for Colorado Streams, available from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Water Conservation Board.
In addition to his work as a restoration ecologist and applied plant scientist, Randy also keeps an orchard, which includes apricots, pears, and plums, among other fruit-bearing trees, and he has a passion for native bees. His passion for native bees is derived from:
- Seeking, and working to foster, ecological resiliency from a healthy ecological matrix that incorporates diverse species and habitats;
- The knowledge that successful restoration is dependent upon a diverse and sustainable population of pollinators—and that sustainable pollinator populations are dependent on vigorous and diverse native plant communities; and
- A desire to increase the fecundity of ecological functions and services for the totality of biota and their abiotic surroundings.
We are thrilled for the chance to share in his knowledge and passion, and proudly welcome Randy to the Great Ecology team.