Hello all! My name is Sam Brown (she/her), and I am Nature Forward’s new Water Quality Monitoring Manager. Gregg Trilling, our Conservation and Outreach Manager, is retiring in June, so I am taking over the Water Quality Monitoring (WQM) and Creek Critters programs. Do not fret; Gregg will continue to be a member of the Nature Forward community and will serve as a team leader for the WQM program. Congratulations, Gregg!
As the new WQM Manager, I am incredibly excited to help protect and educate others about streams and rivers, ecosystems I care for deeply. I first fell in love with streams as a kid, where I grew up playing and looking for critters in the Octoraro Creek’s tributaries in my hometown of Conowingo, MD. The fascinating critters, the landscape’s beauty, and the joy of my adventures hooked me, sparking a lifelong connection to the water.
Naturally, I then studied and researched streams, rivers, and wetlands at the University of Maryland, College Park, where I earned my B.S. in Geology and worked in the Geomorphology and Ecohydrology Lab. During this time, I also worked at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, where I led environmental education programs, conducted an independent research project on tidal river flooding dynamics and channel morphology, and supported community science and ecological monitoring projects, doing awesome field work like banding baby ospreys.
As an alumna of the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps, I worked at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources with the Maryland Biological Stream Survey. I monitored stream health throughout the state of Maryland, collecting physical, chemical, and biological data, and surveying fish, bugs, and herpetofauna. In this role, I built my field data collection, taxonomic identification, data analysis, and scientific writing skills. I also contributed to various conservation projects, such as helping to reestablish the endangered blackbanded sunfish population in Maryland. Now at Nature Forward, I am thrilled to combine my passions for both science and outreach in the WQM program!
In my free time, I love to kayak, hike, play guitar, and of course, look for all sorts of critters, though I do have an affinity for herps (reptiles and amphibians). You’ll often find me walking my dogs at Lake Artemesia and watching the plethora of turtles under the bridge. When I’m not outside, I love to read, draw wildlife, and cuddle up with my cats.
I am dedicated to making the WQM program the best it can be for our community and our streams. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer water quality monitor, fill out an application. Please feel free to email me, I’m always happy to chat about volunteer opportunities, the WQM program, stream ecology, or just to nerd out about cool critters!
