Welcome to Emmalyn Snead! We are thrilled that she is joining ESLT as our new Land Stewardship Program Director. Emmie joins with a wealth of experience in ranching and land stewardship.
To help you get to know Emmie better, we asked her a few questions about her background and interests:
Tell us about your roots.
I grew up on a small farm in Virginia’s Piedmont region. We grew all sorts of produce from asparagus to Christmas trees, and we maintained a small herd of beef cattle. The family farm was a paradise for my sisters and me, and still is today. At a young age, I started selling chicken eggs with my sister which would eventually help me buy my first car, the one I took to college. I graduated with a B.S in Biology and went on to hold various environmental positions before working full time in land conservation. Most recently, I worked as the Natural Resources Program Manager for Mojave Desert Land Trust.
Tell us about your land stewardship experience.
Working as a land steward for MDLT took me to each corner of the California Desert Conservation Area, into every Wilderness area, up countless untouched canyons, and through many different climates and ecotones from the Mexican border to Death Valley National Park. I gained a deep appreciation for the very fragile, yet resilient desert ecosystem. A large part of being a land steward is working to restore damaged lands. I’ve worked with several AmeriCorps crews over the years to restore Desert Tortoise habitat, secure trespass issues, and clean trash off the land.
What do you look forward to most about working with ESLT?
I’m excited to join ESLT’s team to return closer to my roots, working to protect working farms and ranches. Private land conservation is an integral part of large landscape conservation, wildlife linkage corridors, and healthy, intact ecosystems, all things I am very passionate about.
What activities do you enjoy outside of work?
Any activity that gets me outside. I spend my weekends rock climbing, mountain biking, and hiking with my dog, Boo. I like to explore every inch of the public lands around me.
