Sycamore’s New Education Director, Mary Welz

Welcome Mary Welz, Sycamore’s new Education Director! Mary has joined Team Sycamore to lead our Environmental Education program, which offers free nature education for all ages.

“My happiest early memories are of the outdoors, splashing in creeks and adventuring along wooded trails. I have always identified as a student of nature and strive to be a thoughtful land steward in both my professional and personal pursuits,” she says.

“The support and protection of our biodiversity is my calling, and I am committed to help others experience and reconnect with our natural world. The importance of invasive plant management and restoration with native plants has been the focus for my recent efforts. I am thrilled to share my joy and curiosity for nature to enhance Sycamore’s educational outreach.”

Mary earned a BS in Biology at Indiana University and studied Plant Sciences at the University of Georgia in Athens. Prior to coming to Sycamore, she served as a Regional Specialist with Southern Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management, providing land stewardship education to landowners, land managers, and students of all ages. She also worked with Bloomington based ecological restoration contractor Eco Logic LLC as Office Manager and participated in the establishment and operations of their Native Plant Nursery.

“As an investment in myself and my community, I completed both the Purdue Extension Master Gardener and the DNR Indiana Master Naturalist programs in Monroe County,” she says. “While fulfilling the volunteer requirements for these programs, I became involved with Monroe County – Identify and Reduce Invasive Species (MC-IRIS). I am a current board member for MC-IRIS and continue to volunteer to assist property owners with invasive plant surveys and work to control invasive plants at local Weed Wrangles events. I delight in landscaping with native plants, illustration, exploring natural areas with my husband and canine family member, and learning more about our native plant communities and the biodiversity they support.

“The profound and enduring legacy of Environmental Education is critical to Sycamore Land Trust’s mission. I am eager to enrich the current programming for existing audiences and explore new opportunities and partnerships. I seek to foster connection to nature and commitment to land stewardship in people of all walks of life throughout Southern Indiana.”