In this episode we dig into local forest ecology and management across Scenic Hudson's 40+ parks and preserves throughout the Hudson Valley with lifetime local Pia Ruisi-Besares, including little known gems and scientific approaches to increasing climate resiliency and biodiversity values through thoughtful landscape interventions!
Pia Ruisi-Besares is a forest ecologist and natural resource management professional by training and has worked in a variety of ecosystems across the United States including Alaska, California and Vermont. Prior to her role at Scenic Hudson, she spent 6 years on the Island of O’ahu working as a research coordinator and land manager. During that time, she completed her masters thesis which studied various methods of in situ planting techniques to bolster populations of an endemic, endangered plant species. She also ran a community led tree planting and inventory program in coordination with the City and County of Honolulu. Currently Pia is the Director of Science, Climate, and Stewardship at Scenic Hudson where she is responsible for the stewardship and management of 40 preserves and parks in the Mid Hudson Valley.
