If there is one thing I’ve learned over the last few years of my life, it’s that I can accomplish so much more as a member of a team than I can on my own. I’ve only spent about a week with all the folks at the SLA, and I can already tell that’ll be the case here as well.
I spent the last 5 years of my life as a software engineer, treating problems as cognitive puzzles that can be solved by breaking them down into smaller parts and applying solutions bit by bit in a series of logical steps that ultimately results in a piece of working software. While nature is often considered chaotic and unpredictable (to some extent it certainly is), I like to think many ecosystems can be understood in a similar logical fashion. I’ll often look at an environment almost as if it’s a machine, with complex parts that interact with one another in nearly limitless, yet oftentimes totally predictable ways. For instance, if a given environment loses an apex predator, you might see the population of its herbivorous prey explode and consume plants to an unsustainable degree, destroying habitats and changing the landscape in the process, which has cascading effects across the food web. Add too much phosphorous or nitrogen to a lake and you might see plants, algae, and phytoplankton take over the water, pushing out native wildlife and reducing the levels of dissolved oxygen in the water when those newcomers inevitably are consumed by decomposers. Introduce an invasive plant to an area, and it may rapidly take over due to a lack of natural predators, and it could potentially leave behind a dramatically altered soil composition that native plants aren’t able to grow in. Scenarios like these, no matter how chaotic they may get, have definable problems and actionable solutions. They have clear causes and effects, and if necessary, they can be broken down into smaller parts and solved incrementally. My brain likes that a lot, and I think it’s why I’m really drawn to the broader concepts of conservation ecology and enjoy analyzing ecosystems at a macroscopic level.
On the other hand, my brain isn’t the best at identifying every single type of tree, bug, bird, rock, etc. at the drop of a hat. My brain isn’t the greatest at coming up with super creative programs that engage and educate the public on a variety of environmental topics. My brain doesn’t have the patience and in-depth law skills needed to draft and enact important pieces of environmental legislation. Of course, these are all areas of knowledge that I hope to gradually improve upon over time, but suffice it to say it’s impossible for one person to be an expert in every field, particularly at the beginning of their career. Yet all of these skills are needed to effectively manage ecosystems. That’s why it was so awesome to hear about all the different backgrounds and areas of interest of the others here at the SLA. I’ve learned and gained new insights into so much over the last week mostly just from casual conversations with this new group of people, and it genuinely excites me knowing that we’ll be able to serve together and complement each other’s skills to approach our service towards the Squam Watershed in a holistic way.
And while I’m learning new things every day, I know I still have so much left to learn, so it’s incredibly invigorating to hear our directors discuss the various initiatives taking place in and around Squam Lake. I’m looking forward to contributing to these efforts as a part of a team, and I can’t wait to continuously learn and expand my personal perspective of environmental science along the way.
Daniel is a full-term member serving at the Squam Lakes Association. Leaving a career in software design, he pursued a degree in Environmental Science at Southern New Hampshire University. Read more about Daniel here!