After graduating from Michigan State with a Bachelors in Fisheries and Wildlife, Camryn spent several years doing seasonal stewardship work. While searching for invasive species, she discovered a deep love for plants and how they communicate the needs of the land. Her experiences, however, led her to question how to extend this love beyond individual nature enthusiasts. She returned to school motivated to learn how to best advocate for community-centered stewardship of natural lands. Camryn Brent is a current student at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability pursuing an MS in Ecosystem Science and Management; Behavior, Education, and Communication.

TSN Conference 2026

January 23rd, 2026 (Friday) // 11:20 am – 11:45 am // Room 103 // Measuring What Matters: A Rapid Assessment Toolkit for Prioritizing Areas for Conservation // Many universities hold undeveloped lands that are critical to maintaining biodiversity in increasingly urbanized landscapes. These fragmented natural areas face threats from climate change, invasive species, pollution, and reduced species diversity. The University of Michigan recognizes both the opportunity and responsibility to be a leader in stewarding its natural areas for ecological and community benefit. To support this goal, we developed a suite of field and GIS metrics for scoring and ranking the ecological integrity of natural areas. The results of our project will enable the University of Michigan to integrate existing natural areas into its sustainability goals and educational experiences. The framework we present can be applied to a wide variety of institutions and landscapes for conservation planning.