Archives: Profiles
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Ecosystem Engineers
Any species that extensively shapes its physical environment, creating new habitat for other species in the process, is called an ecosystem engineer. Examples include beavers, whose dams form wetlands upstream; American alligators, whose burrows serve as drinking water sources and hiding places for other animals; and coral, whose massive reefs serve as literal bedrock for…
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Dr. Roisin Campbell-Palmer
Roisin Campbell-Palmer is the head of restoration at the Beaver Trust. She has worked with beavers for more than 15 years, focusing on species restoration, translocation, mitigation, and animal welfare. This active field work and ongoing research have helped inform the wider restoration of beavers in Great Britain, particularly in developing and implementing practical management…
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Richard Brazier
Richard Brazier is professor of earth surface processes and director of the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water, and Waste (CREWW) at the University of Exeter, UK. Brazier has pioneered the field of landscape restoration science, building an understanding of the structures of landscapes and ecosystems and how they interact with hydrological, ecological, geomorpholological, soil,…
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Keystone Species
Ecosystems are made up of hundreds—often thousands—of plant and animal species in constant interaction. The relationships between these species and their environment take many shapes: predators hunting and feeding on prey, animals distributing seeds or other nutrients, and even ‘engineers’ that modify the landscape around them. Over decades of study, ecologists have learned that the…
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New York Harbor
While New York Harbor is characterized mostly today by its neighboring industry and commercial traffic, before the impact of humans the waters were a biodiversity hotspot.
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Oysters
Oysters are bivalves, meaning their soft bodies are encased in hinged shells. They are also filter feeders, a diverse group of animals that includes sponges, flamingos, and baleen whales. These creatures eat by pulling water through their bodies and across specialized feeding organs—and then pushing out the leftovers. Wrapped within an oyster’s tough shell are…
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Kate Orff
Kate Orff is the founding principal of SCAPE. She focuses on retooling the practice of landscape architecture relative to the uncertainty of climate change and creating spaces to foster social life. She is known for leading complex, creative, and collaborative work processes that advance broad environmental and social prerogatives. In April, 2023, Kate was named…
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Pete Malinowski
Pete Malinowski is the co-founder and executive director of the Billion Oyster Project. He grew up farming oysters with his parents and siblings on the Fishers Island Oyster Farm. His passion for the environment and education led him to the New York Harbor School, where he founded the school’s Aquaculture and Oyster Restoration Programs and…
