The Community Conservation Fellow is a yearly position part-time position, we look for individuals who are looking for hands-on experince in conservation. Born and raised in Lincoln Heights, Melany spends lots of her time exploring the hills in Northeast Los Angeles, learning from the land and understanding the importance these open spaces hold in their communities. As a recent graduate from the University of California, San Diego, Melany earned a Bachelor’s in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution and a minor in Urban Studies and Planning. While at UCSD, her passion for environmental justice and urban ecology flourished, which led her to pursue opportunities that taught her about urban agriculture, urban forestry, and conservation. Melany hopes to inspire the public to appreciate and care for Los Angeles’s open spaces so that future generations can enjoy them. Eager to connect with her community, Melany is excited to join the Audubon Center team at Debs Park. We hope she gets to spot the turkey vulture, her favorite bird, while helping build bird habitat. 

Melany will be working on expanding our habitat restoration plots inside of Ernest E Debs Regional Park and will be working with local community members to grow California Native plants in the Los Nogales Nursery. Check back for more details!