Statements from the Board candidates for the 2024 Election

Candidate — President Elect and returning At-Large Representative

Lindsay Teunis, Principal Restoration Ecologist, CERP #0105, SWCA Environmental Consultants, San Diego, CA & Fort Collins, CO

SERCAL is a wonderful organization and one that I am proud to be supporting. My goals for the next few years are to continue to elevate our organization and advance the overall goals of our members while also bringing in new faces and perspectives, in particular youth. We are at a critical crossroads for the environment, and restoration is one of the primary action-oriented solutions that we can pursue as a community. Whether it be pure restoration, mitigation, or conservation, we as an organization and community must demonstrate the highest level of quality in our work — from design, to on-the-ground technical implementation, to community engagement and public education. I hope to work with the board, our members, and the restoration industry to continue to elevate expectations and overall restoration outcomes to reverse past damage and halt future losses. 

In addition to directly restoring ecosystems, we have an opportunity to reconnect people to nature and inspire future generations to not just restore but to protect our natural resources. This will require tough conversations, self-reflection, and meaningful social change. I am confident that the SERCAL board can commit to being an example by continuing our commitment to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion with a strong focus on youth and tribal outreach and engagement. In order to affect meaningful change, we need to change ourselves as well, and I am here for that.

Some interesting trivia about you outside of restoration?  1) I love movies, movie quotes, Marvel over DC for sure. Black Widow is the most impressive since she is just badass and keeps up with people with superpowers. 2) I love gardening both native plants as well as cut flowers but if I can ever figure out the seasons in Colorado, then vegetables and fruit too. 3) I love scuba diving but haven’t gone in years. My favorite dreams are breathing under water without equipment. 4) I love baseball (and my daughter’s softball). Go Padres…

Candidate — Secretary and returning North Coasts and High Deserts Representative

Will Spangler, Conservation Project Manager, Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District, Sebastopol, CA

In my work as a conservation project manager for the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District in western Sonoma County I see firsthand the value of collaborative public/private partnerships to create opportunities for landowners and land managers to contribute to regional conservation goals while deepening their own connection and sense of place. I am proud to contribute to projects that restore wildlife habitat, enhance streamflow, improve soil health and water quality, and promote wildfire resilience. I have over 14 years of experience implementing, monitoring, and managing ecological restoration and resource conservation projects throughout California.

I have participated with SERCAL since 2014 and I look forward to continuing to nurture the Next Generation of restoration professionals through SERCAL’s mentorship program and to share applied restoration techniques with a wide audience. I believe that our field will need to be incorporate more of a stewardship and adaptive management approach to restoration in order to deliver resilient ecological and human benefits over the long-term in the face of more frequent disturbances as a result of climate change and the increasing fragmentation of existing habitats.

As SERCAL’s Secretary I am committed to thorough and detailed notetaking of our board meetings, recording and making accessible the inspiring ideas and lessons shared during our annual conference and other events, and ensuring that the organization’s key documents are within easy reach so we can efficiently move forward with all we do.

Some interesting trivia about you outside of restoration?  I live on my family’s rural property in Sonoma County where I am trying to promote a forest comprised of fewer, larger trees and a diverse assembly of native plants, insects, and animals. I enjoy cycling, backcountry skiing, swimming, and playing baseball.

Candidate — North Coasts and High Deserts Representative

Brian Bartell, Restoration Project Leader, PLA #6050, PCI ecological design & planning, Sebastopol

Ecological restoration is a still a relatively young and evolving movement. The more we learn, the more our collective knowledge grows and helps us dig deeper into the balance between science and practice. I look forward to helping SERCAL advance the scale of restoration in the state while upholding high standards. SERCAL brings people together from all walks of life and all corners of the ecological restoration spectrum, and I look forward to continuing to support the organization through my work on the conference committee and as a mentor. I would also like to champion half day field trips outside of the conference, to keep members engaged and showcase some of the great work that is happening in the state. 

Advancing the pace and scale of restoration is another passion, and I hope that through SERCAL’s work we can encourage the regulatory community to help with the effort. While the cutting the green tape initiative has made great headway, we need to get all agencies on board so we can help control costs and develop innovative ways to improve habitat in California.    

Some interesting trivia about you outside of restoration?  I’m obsessed with finding sea glass. I have an old glass milk bottle almost full with the pieces my family and I have found since moving to California 11 years ago. Maybe it is part of my innate nature to clean things up, or maybe just my fascination with shiny things…

Candidate — returning Central Coast and Valley Representative

Thor Anderson, Senior Ecologist/Project Manager, Harris Environmental Group, Inc., Monterey

What you are looking forward to moving forward in SERCAL during your term?  I’m looking forward to continuing to contribute to SERCAL for the next several years. For the last few years, I focused on supporting SERCAL’s annual conference as the conference chair in 2020 and 2022, and contributed on the conference committee in other years. Moving forward, I intend on continuing to support SERCAL annual conferences as a committee member but I also want to look into bringing more SERCAL events throughout the year throughout California. Over the years, SERCAL has done the occasional fieldtrip, webinar, or even Zoom Trivia Night. I think these smaller events are great and that they help build our restoration community. I also believe there is an opportunity to do more field trips and presentations especially in locations outside of SERCALs annual conference footprint. I look forward to exploring these opportunities and working towards enhancing SERCAL's impact throughout California.

Some interesting trivia about you outside of restoration?  I have completed over 100 triathlons, duathlons, and multi-sport events, including the Canadian Ironman. My favorite thing about these events is that I get to spend lots of time outdoors training in nature.