During the summer of 2022, I visited western North Carolina for the Trout Unlimited Teen Summit. In addition to leadership sessions, vocational education, and fly fishing, we participated in a citizen science service project to inform state fisheries biologists about threats facing the Tennessee River watershed. Along with field biologists, we electro fished Alarka Creek to survey the stream's native brook trout population. Additionally, along with a volunteer with a local Trout Unlimited chapter, we analyzed sources of excess sediment and sampled aquatic macroinvertebrates.

This project relates to a number of the UN Global Goals. Most importantly, seeing as the end goal is the conservation of aquatic organisms, Global Goal 14 (Life Below Water) is particularly relevant. Global Goal 13 (Climate Action) is also related because the stream we surveyed will provide critical refuge for sensitive species such as brook trout as waters warm due to climate change. Finally, because the largest contributor of sediment to the watershed turned out to be nearby gravel roads, Global Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) is pertinent. 

In the future, I plan on continuing to work with Trout Unlimited on both global and local conservation initiatives. I currently serve on the board of the Nor'East Chapter of TU, and as a captain for TU Teens. Through a (hopeful) career in fisheries conservation, I also plan on researching and completing conservation work of my own.

As a culmination to my journey towards Eagle Scout, I completed my Eagle project through the spring, summer, and fall of 2022. The goal of the project was to improve navigation in Andover's Doyle Link Reservation, a complex maze of trails through a central Andover forest. The project included three parts: updating the reservation's trail map, creating and posting 11 wood 4x4 trail markers, and adding two kiosks to the reservation's entrances. As I worked through the project, I had to create a detailed plan of every step, get approval from the town, secure the materials, and engage a diverse group of youth and adult volunteers. Most importantly, I gained a wealth of leadership experience.

My project applied to UN Global Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) because its aim was to facilitate the use of outdoor spaces for Andover residents.

Native Fish Coalition (NFC) is a relatively young, Maine-based fisheries conservation organization that seeks to restore all watersheds to the full compliment of their indigenous fish species. The Maine chapter has an ongoing project to post informational signs on all 580 Maine State Heritage Fish Waters (SHFW), a designation that gives special protection to native, wild brook trout and arctic charr in lakes and ponds that serve as the last stronghold for these species in the contiguous United States. In 2021, I had an opportunity to venture deep into the woods of western Maine to post signs on three remote SHFW.

This projects serves the objectives of UN Global Goals 14 (Life Below Water) and 13 (Climate Action) because the SHFW represent the a bastion for wild, native fish as waters warm due to climate change.

I look forward to continuing my work with NFC, including with my secretary position for the Massachusetts Chapter of NFC.