Sarah Kotsopoulos (she/her) has worked in the field of restoration ecology for the past 8 years. Her focus has primarily been on meadow and prairie restoration, but she loves bogs and other wetlands. In her spare time, you can find her chasing butterflies and petting soft plants.
Jessica (Jess) Livingstone is a recent graduate of Trent University and Fleming College in the Ecological Restoration program. She is passionate about working closely with community members and groups, helping facilitate projects, and aiding to provide opportunities for connection and communication amongst those passionate about the wellbeing of Mother Earth. She has a love for aquatic ecosystems and its many inhabitants, so feel free to show her that cool fish/bug/plant you found by the creek!
Nick Weissflog (he/him) There had not been a regional ecological restoration conference in Ontario since before the pandemic and so I thought it would be a good idea to get a group of people together to organize one. I am grateful to all my co-organizers who also thought this was a good idea.
Keira McManus is a master’s at the University of Waterloo studying restored tallgrass prairies, an ecosystem she has been exploring and admiring for the past 8 years. She spends her free time botanizing and climbing rocks. Keira is also the co-president of the University of Waterloo Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration (UW-SER).
Amara Johnston is an undergraduate student at the University of Waterloo. Amara loves wetland ecology and herptofauna, especially mudpuppies! Amara is also the co-president of UW-SER.
Tom Whillans is an ecologist with particular interests in fisheries, fish habitat, wetlands, co- management, community development, traditional knowledge, watershed restoration, historical ecology, biodiversity, restoration ecology and related environmental problems. His Ph.D. was in fisheries ecology, in the Department of Zoology, University of Toronto. From 1983 to 2022 he was a Professor in what is now the School of the Environment, Trent University, serving as Chair for nine of those years. He remains there as Professor Emeritus. He helped to develop and taught in 14 undergraduate and three graduate degrees at the university, including the B.Sc. in Ecological Restoration.
Most of Tom’s research has focused on problems in the binational Great Lakes basin and South America on issues relating to community-based ecological restoration. His research has related notably to community-based aquatic science, especially the rehabilitation of lakes, fisheries, wetlands and watersheds. He has served on the boards and management committees of various non-governmental organizations, including long-standing roles on the Committee of Advisors for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre, the Ontario Biodiversity Council, Haliburton U-Links and Watersheds Canada
Calum Palmer (they/ them) is an undergraduate student in the Conservation Biology program at Trent. Their interests span ecology and evolution and are broadly keen on better understanding the intricacies of the natural world and its processes. They are the treasurer of the Trent chapter of Society for Ecological Restoration and deeply enjoy volunteering with endangered species.
Cassidy Mailloux is a graduate student at the University of Windsor in the Healthy headwaters lab studying the Macrofungi of the Carolinian zone in Southwestern Ontario. She has worked as a Guide and Naturalist at the Ojibway Prairie complex for the past 8 years exploring a variety of ecosystem restoration methods and techniques. Through her work at the complex, she has been able to connect and share knowledge with others about her passion for the Carolinian zone and the unique/ rare flora, fauna and fungi found within. When she is not frolicking through these amazing ecosystems, she can be found playing and coaching the wonderful game of Lacrosse !
Abbey Danforth is an undergraduate student in the Environment, Resources, and Sustainability program at the University of Waterloo. She is passionate about aquatic ecology and understanding the impacts of human activity on our lakes and streams! Abbey is also a member of UW-SER.
Serena Emerson (she/her) is an undergrad at Trent University studying conservation biology. She is taking on the role of Projects Coordinator with Trent’s chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration. She has an interest in native plants and pollinators and hopes to study their relationships in the future.
Ontario Ecological Restoration Conference 