Profile: Jennifer Garrett

Jen has expertise in botany, natural community ecology, rare species habitat management, conservation planning, invasive species control, and project management. She has advanced knowledge of the identification and ecology of northeastern plant species and natural communities, both rare and common. Before coming to Biodrawversity, Jen was Conservation Planning Botanist at the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) for five years, and prior to that was an Associate Ecologist at the New York Natural Heritage Program. At NHESP she surveyed, documented, and mapped state- and federally-listed plant populations throughout Massachusetts, with an emphasis on globally-rare plant species. In addition, she developed conservation plans and implemented habitat management projects for rare plant species; composed rare plant species fact sheets for the NHESP website; developed guidelines for habitat conservation and mitigation; and provided rare plant habitat management recommendations to state agencies, municipalities, private landowners, and nonprofit conservation organizations. She was project leader and lead author of “Conservation of Globally Rare Plant Species of Massachusetts,” a report submitted to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. She is a licensed herbicide applicator and has experience with invasive species control in sensitive habitats. Jen is a member and former Councilor for the New England Botanical Club. Her passion for botany, dedication to sound science, and enthusiasm for effective communication all show clearly both in the field and in the final presentations of her results.

Jen is also an avid birder, a big time Red Sox fan, and gets out hiking as often as she can.