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School of Environment and Natural Resources

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Alumni Career Spotlight: Logan Dunn

Logan Dunn
Environmental Policy and Management ‘13

Natural Resources Liaison, Preservation Parks of Delaware County

Logan graduated from SENR in 2013 after majoring in Environmental Policy and Management. Today, he works as a Natural Resources Liaison for Park Operations with Preservation Parks of Delaware County. His current position allows him to perform wetland restoration in old agricultural field habitat in addition to planting trees, participating in prairie burns, and removing invasive species. Throughout his undergraduate career, he worked at Prairie Oaks Metro Park through the Franklin County Metroparks and was an active member in the student organization TerrAqua.

Logan DunnRead the interview with Logan:


A Glance at Logan’s Current Work

I am the Natural Resource Liaison for Park Operations, and one of my jobs involves creating wetland habitat. That is the most rewarding thing to me - taking old agricultural field habitat and turning it into wetland habitat. Monitoring this ecosystem shift is amazing. There really is no typical day, because we do so much that it never gets repetitive, from tree plantings, to facilities maintenance, wetland construction, prairie burns, invasive removal, aviary construction and plenty more.

Professional Development

My advice is to network as much as possible. Take advantage of all the school has to offer in terms of networking, such as the Environmental Professionals Network. Additionally, take advantage of internships while in school and prior to graduation, to gain experience.

As an undergraduate, I was involved with the student organization TerrAqua on campus, while having a part-time job with the Franklin County Metro Parks as a Part-Time Park Technician at Prairie Oaks Metro Park. I had a really great manager at Prairie Oaks, named Tom Cochran. He offered some really good advice with life in general. Be true to yourself, work hard, and never chase the money. Find what you’re passionate about and stick to it.

Post-Graduation

Upon graduating, I was offered a full-time position with Preservation Parks of Delaware County and have been there ever since. The most important thing to me during my job search was finding something in Natural Resources that included job security, which ruled out contract positions or part-time positions and internships. You also want to look at the employee work/life balance and overall wellbeing within the organization. Finding a place to work is one feat, but finding a place to work with a healthy environment and that fits your preference can be challenging.

I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in Restoration Ecology through Colorado State University to further my knowledge on proper restoration techniques and to help with career advancement. I don’t feel that it’s limiting after graduation to prolong your advanced degree, because you need to get the experience first regardless. However, once the experience is achieved, a master’s degree could potentially help with management level positions.

 

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Post created March 2020