How Shana Byrd Helps Protect Ohio’s Natural Areas

Whether she was taking walks with her mother or identifying plants in the garden or forest with her grandmother, Shana Byrd’s childhood was rooted in a deep connection to nature, ultimately cultivating a passion for conservation that would become the focus of her career.

“At a young age, I thrived being outdoors and in nature,” Byrd says. “And it was really thanks to my mother — who was a chemist — who really sparked a curiosity about the natural world and plants in me at a young age.”

It was these memories, as well as experiences in high school and college, that led Byrd to pursue a career in conservation. She spent nearly three decades in the fields of research, restoration ecology, land management and conservation biology prior to her current role as Ohio conservation lead for The Nature Conservancy. The organization’s work in Ohio began in 1959, and it manages 23 natural areas across the state — seven of which are open to the public.

“I was always interested in understanding the world around me, and I had this spark of curiosity,” Byrd says. “I think that’s why pursuing a field as a scientist was just very natural.”

We talked with Byrd about how her childhood shaped her love for the environment, the impact of her work and her favorite nature destinations in Ohio.

Tell me a little bit about growing up. What instilled a passion for nature in you?
It was through those early experiences that I came to see that I was a part of nature and not apart from nature. Taking nature walks with my mother, seeing what new flowers we could see as we walked down the trail; she was instrumental in that, as well as my grandmother. That all became part of the fabric of my world. 

What have you seen as the biggest impact of your work?
I think the important thing to remember is that, collectively, we are all in conservation solutions together. It takes everyone working collaboratively on all scales: local, regional and global. By creating the opportunities and inviting partners in and communities who are part of the solutions, we are actually able to see work accomplished, and ultimately, that’s what people want to be a part of.

Do you have a favorite nature destination in Ohio?
I have three of them: the Edge of Appalachia in southern Ohio, the Morgan Swamp Preserve in northeast Ohio, and in northwest Ohio, Kitty Todd Preserve. … When you visit these places, you come to appreciate why protecting them matters. Once we lose them, it’s really difficult to get them back. And, yes, we can restore ecosystems, but some things we can’t afford to lose. When you get to see these places, it really makes that true for you. 

For more information, visit nature.org/ohio. 

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