Meet Our Newest Team Member, Erin Anderson

We are excited to welcome Erin Anderson, who began work in May as the Beaver Hill Biosphere’s inaugural Conservation Planning Coordinator. Through her position, Erin will research and draft an updated State of the Biosphere report, which will inform the development of UNESCO’s 10-year review of the Beaver Hills Biosphere. She’ll also lend her expertise to Biosphere programming and conservation planning.

Previously, Erin worked for the Municipal District of Ranchland in southern Alberta where she helped create an environmental program, collaborating with landowners and nonprofits. She worked on riparian and fencing projects, carnivore management, managed social media and penned a monthly bulletin. The program grew significantly in the two years she spent with the municipality. It is worth noting that, in 2022, the MD was awarded an Emerald Award for their environmental achievements over the last 25 years. During her tenure with the MD, Erin also worked closely with Waterton Biosphere Reserve.

Erin grew up in Langdon, a small town east of Calgary, where she participated in 4H and attended range camps, which sparked her interest in the environment. As a Bachelor of Science student at the University of Saskatchewan, she majored in Agronomy and minored in Rangeland Resources. During her undergrad, she focused her passion for the environment on conservation. During her time at USask, she served as president of the university’s Range Team, and was part of a team that won competitions at the Society for Range Management conference.

“I worked closely with Elizabeth Anderson at Waterton Biosphere Reserve. She's an inspiration for me,” explains Erin. “She does some really, really cool stuff and that's the kind of work I'm also really passionate about. I look to her as an example of how someone can build a career in conservation.”

When she’s not working, Erin loves to travel, garden, camp, cook and read. Having just moved to Edmonton, she’s looking forward to exploring her new city – especially its culinary scene and the natural landscape in and around Edmonton.

“Dr. John Bennett was my thesis advisor, and he was a huge influence on my interest in ecology. He said that the Edmonton area is really beautiful and a really unique environment, which made me even more excited to move here,” she adds.

We’re very happy to have Erin sharing her experience and skills and building her career with the Beaver Hills Biosphere. Her knowledge and passion for conservation and ecology are an incredible asset to our work.