Our Team is Growing!
Over the summer of 2021, the Old-Growth Forest Network brought on two new Regional Managers. It is with great excitement that we introduce Noelle Collins, our Southwest Regional Manager, and Nick Sanchez, our Midwest Regional Manager. I wanted to get to know our newest team members better, so if you’d like to learn more too, keep reading!
Nick Sanchez- Midwest Regional Manager
As the new Midwest Regional Manager, Nick oversees growing, enhancing, and connecting the Old-Growth Forest Network in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri.
What is your background as it relates to old-growth forest preservation?
I’m new here to the old-growth scene. I’m a forester by training but chose my career path out of (an ever-growing) concern for the environment.
What is your favorite forest and why?
An impossible question! but today I will say the old-growth coastal redwoods of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park near Santa Cruz, CA. There is a living redwood there that you can crawl inside and stand in. Absolutely incredible.
What inspired you to join forces with OGFN?
The mission is incredibly forward thinking. By designating old-growth in every county where forests grow, OGFN is effectively growing and expanding access and awareness of these wild and special places to millions of people in the future. Considering the climate and biodiversity crisis, and the increasing need to provide equitable access to the benefits of high-quality forests, this is something we need now more than ever.
What has been the most rewarding thing so far working for OGFN?
By far it has been time interacting with the passionate volunteers who love old-growth forests and want to share these places with others.
Why do you think old-growth forests should be protected in perpetuity?
Even in my relatively short career I have seen countless forests change hands. The new landowner or manager can quickly reverse the course of the forest’s trajectory. The timelines needed for old-growth to develop make it necessary to be very intentional about their designation and protect these forests from our future selves. These complex, carbon dense, climate-resilient forests have so much to teach us about how to live on this planet. I think we also need their mystery and wildness for our own health and creativity. Does anyone prefer to hike or camp in a managed forest? Prevailing forest management can often result in the spread of invasive species, loss of biodiversity, and complexity. I think that translates to the destruction of wild mystery and magic, which takes lifetimes to return. I know of no legends, folk-tales, or origin stories that begin in an aspen clear-cut.
Noelle Collins- Southwest Regional Manager
As the new Southwest Regional Manager, Noelle oversees growing, enhancing, and connecting the Old-Growth Forest Network in New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.
What is your background as it relates to old-growth forest preservation?
In college, I majored in geography and participated in an Ancient Forests Field Study in the northern Cascades, Washington. We studied natural resources, law and policy – camped in an old-growth forest, visited a timber mill, camped in a thinned forest, and experienced a clear-cut area. I later worked in land conservation for a nationwide land conservancy, in the national office and in one of its field offices, and also for a couple of local land trusts. I’ve been fortunate to be part of the conservation of some amazing places.
What is your favorite forest and why?
There are so many forests to love, but if I have to choose just one, it is the Na Pali coast and wilderness on the island of Kauai. It is a rich and diverse rainforest, accessible by boat or on foot and some very small dirt roads, so it seems naturally protected from too much human interaction. I’ve reached it by boat and hiked in on its trails and hope to return for more adventures.
What inspired you to join forces with OGFN?
OGFN has been on my mind for a couple of years and now seems to be the perfect time to help expand the network. I began my career in conservation, shifted to local government during the recession, worked briefly in academia, and am focused once again on helping to preserve our natural treasures.
What has been the most rewarding thing so far working for OGFN?
Working for OGFN has encouraged me to learn about different types of forests and make a case for why they should be part of the network. Our staff and board are incredible and I’m fortunate to be part of this team. This experience is helping me remember the places I’ve been – the Dixie National Forest in Utah, Sawtooths in Idaho, the Rockies (U.S. and Canada), Yosemite, the Feather River, Glacier. They all need to be part of the network and I’m hopeful that they will be soon.
Why do you think old-growth forests should be protected in perpetuity?
Protecting old-growth forests is more than about leaving a legacy and preserving a wealth of natural resources. It’s about experiencing the depth, complexity, and beauty of all of the layers within the forest. Through my work with OGFN, I’ve learned that some of the trees in Joshua Tree National Park are 900 years old and that the Bristlecone Pines in Great Basin National Park are thousands of years old. These are resources that can’t be easily replaced.
