Byron Levan
North Carolina "Native"
I was born and raised near Statesville, North Carolina with roots in Iredell, Alleghany, and Alexander counties.
My Passion for plants and all things wild began early, fostered by a family that encouraged my interests. As a kid I probably spent more time outdoors than inside. I used that time to learn floral and faunal identification as well as natural history. My family also engaged in a wide array of outdoor interests from hunting and fishing to bird watching and botanizing.
This diversity has helped me become a well rounded naturalist. My career has led me to some amazing places, from teaching college students near Rougemont, collecting data aboard deep sea fishing vessels in Alaska, marking and tracking stocked trout by raft in Spruce Pine, and pursuing a masters degree understanding white-tailed deer forage at Fort Bragg. Each position has brought a unique understanding in both the research at hand and of the natural systems in which they occur.
Plant conservation and management
Native plant conservation, restoration and ecology has long been my primary interest. My experiences have led me to understand that management is most efficient when ecosystems are managed holistically. Endangered species, especially plants, are often threatened due to stressors inflicted upon their environments. Managing the ecosystem as a whole often leads to the promotion of multiple species of concern and offers long term sustainability to populations.
Looking forward, I see myself working in the field of plant population ecology. By understanding the dynamics of an endangered population, we can understand which stressors in the environment are the most important in limiting growth or decline. I also enjoy teaching and passing on the knowledge that I have gained over the years.
With that being said, it is impossible for one individual to acquire enough knowledge to promote optimal management of any given ecosystem. This is why collaboration is so important in the sciences. I hope to work with individuals from many fields to achieve the highest conservation success. This involves engaging the public, scientific community, government agencies, and business sector. By working together, our research, teaching, and outreach will be especially powerful.