MEET TUCKER SANBORN!
Resident Land Steward at Faville Grove Sanctuary since September 2023
Tucker on the North Umpqua Trail in Oregon (photo by Alejandro Mejia).
Hello there, I’m Tucker. Growing up in the suburbs of Verona, WI, I always enjoyed being outside and ratting around with my friends on our bicycles, but wouldn’t qualify as outdoorsy or especially into nature. Helping out with chores at my grandparents’ horse stable and farm taught me the value of hard, honest work, but I never would’ve considered myself a farm kid.
During a pivotal backpacking trip to Indian Peaks Wilderness in the Rockies after graduating high school, I realized that nature had a power over me that little else did, and two summers spent working outside on a village public works crew made me realize that I felt happiest working outside with my hands. However, I still lacked the crucial context to know what form that would ultimately take—I knew it had to be more than just mowing lawns and picking up residential brush piles. That context came when I was offered a position in 2019 as a Prairie Partners intern with Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (then Madison Audubon). That summer opened my eyes to the world of restoration ecology, the often hidden and complex beauty of southern Wisconsin’s natural spaces, and the amazing people that inhabit the profession.
Since then, I’ve sought out only opportunities that would grant me hands-on experience in habitat management and restoration, and I’ve gotten to do some really interesting work. With the Wisconsin DNR, I worked in some of the state’s finest natural areas in the Driftless Area. Through the Student Conservation Association, I worked on a prescribed fire crew in the Davy Crockett National Forest in Texas and on a botany crew in the Umpqua National Forest in Oregon. I’m very happy to be returning to my home state to contribute to the important work at Faville Grove Sanctuary!
Tucker at a controlled burn in Texas (photo by Sarah Glover).
Why did you want to join the team at Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance?
I wanted to join SoWBA because I was very familiar with the incredible work done by the organization, and so much of what I had learned about ecology, wildlife, and botany had come directly from my prior experience at Goose Pond Sanctuary. To be honest, I had long wondered when one of the land steward positions would open up and if I’d be qualified when that time came. It just so happened that the job was posted when I had only a couple weeks left in my position in the Umpqua National Forest, and ended up getting the job the day after I got back to Wisconsin. Not bad timing!
What's your favorite bird?
The first bird that comes into my mind is the Common Loon, because of all my fond memories of hearing and seeing them in the Boundary Waters in Minnesota. My friends and I try to plan a trip every summer, and the first loon we see is always a welcome sight. Hearing their beautiful and unique call at night really makes me feel immersed in the North Woods and watching them catch fish and bob around never gets old, even if their angling prowess tends to make me jealous when I’m not having similar luck.
Name your top three favorite outdoor places.
I’ll focus on Wisconsin:
Dewey Heights State Natural Area is a beautiful bluff prairie within Nelson-Dewey State Park, and overlooks the Upper Mississippi River Valley.
Tucker birding at Ferry Bluff (photo by Sarah Glover).
The Baraboo Hills are an endlessly fun place to explore, and contain many wondrous natural areas such as Baxter’s Hollow, Parfrey’s Glen, and the east and south bluffs of Devil’s Lake. Such a large tract of forest in southern Wisconsin is truly special, and any time I got to spend there with the DNR cutting maples in the name of oak woodland restoration was a day well spent.
Ridgeway Pine Relict is another beautiful state natural area off the beaten path, where old-growth white pine has persisted on rocky outcroppings that protected them from generations of fire burning across the landscape. It’s a very unique assemblage of understory plant species as well, because of the unusually southern old-growth pine.
Share something cool you've learned since joining the team.
I’ve really enjoyed learning about the history of Faville Grove, from Aldo Leopold’s time to David, Roger, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance’s involvement. I feel very grateful for those who have worked so hard to establish and expand the sanctuary. It’s a very special feeling to be part of such an important place. There will always be more to learn and discover, and that’s one of the things I love so much about this work.
Cover image: A Common Loon swims along the surface of a reflective lake (photo via Pixabay).
