Sarah has been with Audubon Dakota since August 2015, beginning as a program coordinator, in the Fargo, ND office. She earned her Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree with an Environmental Studies major from the University of Minnesota Morris and Masters of Natural Resources Management from North Dakota State University. Sarah’s role includes managing and fundraising for the local, regional, and statewide conservation programming offered by Audubon Dakota. At the regional level, Sarah manages and coordinates the Audubon Dakota’s extensive working lands programs, which include the Audubon Conservation Ranching Initiative, Prairie Management Toolbox, ND Prescribed Fire Cooperative, and the newly funded ND Conservation Forage Program. At the local level, Sarah oversees the implementation of Audubon Dakota’s bird friendly communities programming which focuses on woodland enhancement and prairie restoration in major urban centers across North Dakota and Moorhead, MN for the Urban Woods and Prairies Initiative, spanning nearly 1,000 acres. Additionally, Sarah coordinates the land management of Audubon Dakota’s two sanctuaries – Edward M. Brigham III Alkali Lake and Frederick L. Wicks Prairie Management Area, totaling nearly 5,000 acres of grassland and wetland habitat.
In her personal time, Sarah enjoys gardening, reading, traveling, and exploring the nearby nature trails with her family, including her husband, two sons – Arlo and Graham, and their chocolate lab – Leopold.
What is your conservation influence?
As a young undergraduate interning with the USFWS in northwest Minnesota I experienced prairie for as far as the eye can see for the first time in my life. It became an emotional and poignant experience as I pictured the missing historical characters journeying across the stands of big bluestem and blazingstar – bison, meadowlarks, butterflies, and the indigenous peoples caring for this sacred land. As I crouched to snatch sugary sweet wild strawberries that the deer hadn’t yet harvested, I knew my conservation career would be dedicated to protecting and restoring our lost grasslands.
Favorite Bird and why:
Trumpeter Swan. I love seeing their stark white, full feathered forms gracefully paddling through wetlands and shallow lakes. Even as the largest native North American waterfowl, they have elegance and grace, which I greatly admire.
To contact Sarah, please email her at sarah.hewitt@audubon.org.