Americorps Programming Associate: Gwen Lohse
My name is Gwen Lohse and I am the programming associate Americorps civil service member at The Freshkills Park Alliance. I am currently a student at Hunter College CUNY, on track to graduate with a Bachelors in environmental studies with a concentration in earth systems science. I previously worked as a programming intern under our Education Programming Director, Shannon Erikson, and as a native Staten Islander, I grew up in close proximity to Freshkills Parks’ mounds! I love spending time outside hiking or camping, to recycle and reuse materials for collaging projects, and to advocate for equitable access to green spaces for New Yorkers.
What are you working on, and why do you think it’s interesting/important?
Currently, I am focused on organizing and developing our education cadre program. Increasing public access and engagement by assisting in capacity building and volunteer management through our new Educational Docent Program is vital to Freshkills Parks’ future as a living classroom. Environmental educators and stewardship leaders have an indispensable role in achieving climate justice, facilitating interactions with our local ecosystems, and teaching the importance of environmental reclamation. When you engage with the natural world around you, you feel compelled to act as a protector and steward of those spaces. I hope to empower and foster the youth-led, climate change resistance movement through expanding our programming to offer multidisciplinary approaches to environmental learning.
What drew you to Freshkills Park?
My interests in ecology and wildlife management attracted me to Freshkills Park. Having the privilege to lead programming across 2,200 acres of beautiful, reclaimed land feels so important to expanding green learning on Staten Island and raising awareness about the Alliance itself. So many people are unaware of what coexists with them in their own backyards, and being able to bridge that gap of knowledge between New Yorkers and the urban, native species we live with is so rewarding.
What is your favorite topic surrounding Freshkills and why?
I believe my favorite topic would be our flourishing wildlife! Having the highest density of osprey mating pairs in New York City is a feat within itself, and we’re constantly learning of new developments with species that were once considered long gone or previously moved away from Staten Island.
What is your favorite color?
Sage green and purple!
