If we have not yet made acquaintances, I am Polly Weigand, the newest member of the
North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange (NAFSE) team, as well as the Northeast Fire Project Manager for the Forest Stewards Guild. And because I know you would ask if you could, it is an enthusiastic Yes! I am the “new” Amanda.
Amanda has been the face of NAFSE since its inception, so while we overcome our
sticker shock and grow accustomed to her new role with the US Fish & Wildlife Service (we are happy for you!), I take the liberty to interrupt my own introduction to reflect on the meaning of this anticipated question. It is one that I fondly and gratefully receive as it is an accurate and worthy acknowledgement of Amanda’s personality and leadership. She helped successfully envision and build NASFE and, as a result, wildland professionals and programs at an immeasurable volume that well exceeds the number of times this question is asked.
I share first hand that Amanda’s mentorship and the resulting collaborations facilitated with the greater NAFSE community were integral to my professional development. In my past role as Science and Stewardship Program Manager for the Central Pine Barrens Commission Amanda's guidance enhanced my abilities to successfully lead the establishment of the Central Pine Barrens Commission Prescribed Fire Program. To recognize this significant program accomplishment and now be part of the NAFSE team in her stead, is a further testament to the value and success of her leadership. So when someone inquires, I am equally grateful and humbled to confirm - Yes, I am the new Amanda!
Now a little bit more about me. I think that it is only appropriate during an introduction to share an interesting fun fact about my name. For such an uncommon name, Polly (not so much Weigand), consistently sparks a fascinating phenomena that ranges from outbursts of singing (John Henry); recitation of poetry (tea party anyone?); nicknames (the Pollinator); references to pocket size dolls and horses (of course I am a purebred); is that your full name (no Anna?); assumptions that I only like crackers; as well as being called the entirely wrong name beyond the ‘olly’s (Mary oddly, but more commonly Amanda!). Lastly, and most recently, gleeful bouts of associative alliteration such as "Polly is in the Pines." I love my name and as a gregarious person, I embrace that it serves as an icebreaker, lends to comedy, makes people happy, inspires terms of endearment as well as being a cultural reference.
Photo Credit: M. Feudi (Left Image)
I haven’t always been "Polly in the Pines" as I hail from the Tug Hill Plateau, on the
western side of the Adirondacks in New York. The rugged diversity of northern forests and rushing waters were the catalysts of my career trajectory in conservation and ecology. After
gallivanting across the country, rehabbing wildlife, and working at a ski resort, I landed
back home broke, waitressing, and applying for multiple jobs to score a “real job” in my
field of study. Fortune was with me, as of all the applications I submitted, I was offered
one, monitoring endangered shore birds on Long Island for The Nature Conservancy.
My mother said you’re taking it and with that directive, this rock climbing, downhill skiing, white-water canoeing chick drove white knuckled through NYC to Long Island - a flat,
isolated, salty, sandy, fire prone spit of land in the middle of the Atlantic ocean with, wait
for it, an abundance of pines! Little did I know, but my fate as “Polly in the Pines” and
an aficionado of fire, plants, and the ocean had been sealed. I took every job opportunity -
wildlife monitoring, water quality sampling, and farmland conservation planning until I found
my niche. I founded the Long Island Native Plant Initiative which I continue to direct,
administer the Long Island Invasive Species Management Area, accomplished a
masters in urban ecology, and most recently served as a Science and Stewardship
Program Manager for the Central Pine Barrens Commission. In this role I added forest
health, southern pine beetle, and wildland fire management to my expertise in invasive
species, native plant propagation, grassland management, shoreline restoration,
agronomy, and non-profit management within globally rare and highly populated
pine barrens systems.
So, I am truly humbled to step into Amanda’s “fire boots”, join Eric, Nick and Erin at NAFSE, the Guild, and the Joint Fire Science Exchange Network. I am thrilled to apply my expertise,
established network and knowledge of northeastern ecosystems, research, and wildland
fire management at a greater regional reach (national and international too!) as I have
on Long Island. As I move forward in my new role with NAFSE, I look forward to engaging with all of you and will continue to embrace being the new Amanda (figuratively and literally) because "Polly's in the Pines!"
Photo Credit: M. Feudi
NOTE - You can connect with Polly Weigand via email at Polly@forestguild.org or via phone at 631-898-6181.