Marisela will be working as a staff biologist and project interpreter for the Willits project. Her focus will primarily be on observing and recording data for all wildlife present on mitigation lands. She will be tracking how our diverse community of migratory and resident birds and animals interact with habitats, infrastructure, and grazing activities throughout the seasons. Marisela will also be assisting in wildlife monitoring during construction activities and will facilitate outreach to the community and be a conduit for bringing interested individuals and groups onto mitigation lands for tours and workshops.
Marisela has lived in Willits for 36 years and spent 18 of those years working as a teacher in the Willits Unified School District. She holds a degree in both biology and botany, is an active member in the Audubon Society, California Native Plant Society, and has close ties to the Willits Environmental Center. She has been involved with teaching environmental education and has led bird and wildflower hikes to thousands of kids over the years. You can follow Marisela on her blog “Observations and Ruminations” on our website at https://mcrcd.org/project/willits-bypass-mitigation.