By Madeleine Kaleta, Texan by Nature Social Media and Marketing Intern

 

I grew up nestled amongst the trees in a valley between the mountain in a small town in upstate New York. My family’s history runs deep in this state, with the entire family residing in one of three cities. So, I stayed and followed my interests in animals and science and received a Bachelor’s in Zoology with a minor in bio-cultural anthropology at SUNY Oswego. Throughout my studies, I quickly found my love for wildlife conservation in faraway internships with a passion to preserve all aspects of the land, and I knew I had to explore more of our natural world. 

 

The day after graduating, I loaded my life into my car and took off for my first official job in wildlife conservation. I traveled the country, only staying a few months at each temporary job, and one of those places was West Texas. No one in my family was surprised to see me end up in this beautiful and wild state. This was the first place in my journey where I was constantly amazed by the novelty and landscape as I drove across the state. It was nothing like home, but working on private ranches all across west Texas, I quickly appreciated the diversity. From the bogs and dense trees of East Texas, to the canyons and rolling plains, the birds of the Rio Grande, and all the amazing people and cultures I have encountered along the way.  

While that job soon ended, I ultimately returned a few years later to begin my current master’s degree in biology with a focus in avian ecology research at UNT. While birds are a huge focus in my passion, I quickly realized the ecological complexities of the world. I found so much value in preserving other aspects such as land and water resources, but also engaging with local communities. A huge takeaway I learned in my bio-cultural anthropology background, was the best way to conserve nature, was to work with and help the local community. I feel this is the cornerstone to all great conservation successes across the world.  

While I continue my current degree, my perspective and passion for combining conservation and community has only further solidified. Texan by Nature spoke strongly to me as an organization. Their contributions not only to the conservation of Texas natural resources, but also to aiding businesses and local community programs couldn’t have been a more perfect fit. I am excited to join them in our endeavors to catalyze and conserve so many meaningful projects and projects to protect this state. I may not have grown up a Texan, but I chose it. Contributing to the prosperity of the people and land of Texas is what makes me Texan by Nature.