RGS & AWS is excited to welcome Zach Nie as the new forest wildlife specialist for the Western Great Lakes region.
Zach grew up in Iowa and earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Iowa State University. He previously worked for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources as a district forester, where he partnered with private forest landowners to promote active forest management that supports forest health and wildlife habitat.
An avid outdoorsman, Zach enjoys hunting, hiking, sports and spending time with his family. He will be based at Volga River State Recreation Area near Fayette, Iowa, and will work closely with the Iowa DNR, Natural Resources Conservation Service and partner organization staff to support forest management for wildlife on private forestlands and public wildlife areas.
The Iowa-based forest wildlife specialist position is a first for RGS & AWS and represents an important expansion of the organization’s collaborative forest conservation efforts in the region. The position is made possible through a partnership with the Iowa DNR, with support from the Iowa Chapter of RGS & AWS. This collaboration strengthens on-the-ground efforts to improve and restore forest wildlife habitat in northeast Iowa.
Learn more about the Western Great Lakes region here.
