Profiles from the Peninsula is a series dedicated to spotlighting the partners who make up the Baja Working Group, and their projects. This week’s profile is on Dr. Sula Vanderplank, whose career in the Northwestern region of Mexico is helping to shape the long-term conservation of its many unique ecosystems.
Puedes leer este blog en español aquí.
Profiles from the Peninsula is a series dedicated to spotlighting the partners who make up the Baja Working Group, and their projects. Each week, we will bring you a new profile in the form of a blog like this one. More information about the working group can be found here.
Dr. Sula Vanderplank is a botanist who specializes in the vegetation of Northwestern Mexico. But Sula does much more than simply study plants. Her broad passion for Baja California ecosystems is evident in the many expeditions she has organized to learn more about the region. From the Sierra San Pedro Martir, all the way to the remote island archipelago of Revillagigedo, Sula has gotten to know the region’s unique places, the people, and its many ecosystems throughout her career.
As of February of this year, Sula has joined the Pronatura Noroeste team as their new Director of Terrestrial Ecosystem Conservation. As director, Sula brings her regional expertise to design specific conservation strategies for the region’s coastal, wetland, desert, forest, jungle, and mountain ecosystems.
For Sula, climate resilience for our cross-border region means “intact habitat corridors and strong reinforcement and protections for our coastal ecosystems. It also means strategic programs for our highest peaks and most vulnerable areas.” Her work with scientists and communities on both sides of the border has helped describe lesser known ecosystems, collect rare seeds, and gain a holistic view of the region’s conservation needs.
The Baja Working Group is a collaboration between the Climate Science Alliance and the International Community Foundation. Learn more here.