This Month in Conservation Science: July 2026
June was full of field work! Our team was out nearly every day conducting our Grassland Biodiversity Surveys or working on Research Projects!
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REU Students Join VWL
We are excited to welcome two Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) students this summer: Val Hernandez and Ari Ramos. Through hands-on fieldwork, data analysis, and science communication, they will gain valuable research experience while helping generate information that supports working lands and wildlife conservation.
Val is working with Bernadette Rigley, VWL’s Postdoctoral Fellow in Conservation Ecology, and is examining how temporal variation in haying schedules affects forage nutritional composition and the reproductive success of grassland bird species.
Ari is working with VWL Research Fellow Allison Huysman and is examining if birds consume enough pests to have a meaningful impact on pest control and if this impact varies with land use and nest box density.
Please join us in welcoming the two of them and wishing them all the best for a successful and fulfilling experience!
We’re excited to share our 2025 Annual Report, a look back at a year of discovery, partnership, and conservation action across Virginia’s working lands.
As Program Director Amy Johnson writes in her annual letter: “Our team celebrated milestones of acres conserved for grassland bird breeding habitat, team members recognized for their diverse skills and leadership, volunteers exploring new survey techniques and farmers helping design and refine our studies. Together, these efforts continue to build a meaningful body of research and conservation practice grounded in real places and enduring partnerships, while also strengthening the skills, trust and shared commitment that make that work possible.”
Thank you to the farmers, landowners, volunteers, partners, supporters, and community members who make this work possible.