In Your Words: Ellie & Chris Leigh-Manuell

Meet this Father-daughter Volunteer Team at Drumlin Farm

In 2021, we learned about Mass Audubon’s 12-week Field Naturalist Certificate Program (FNCP) and knew a program like this was perfect for Ellie’s lifelong interest in nature. After speaking with the Metro West staff, and because Ellie was only 16, we excitedly signed up as a team and began our journey to Drumlin Farm. 

Aside from the coursework, FNCP students complete a volunteer project. Senior Teacher Naturalist Tia Pinney mentored us in developing a project mapping invasive plants at Drumlin Farm to inform habitat restoration activities. We spent the summer of 2022 mapping invasive plants in such enthusiastic detail that we actually found the data unusable. With Tia’s guidance, we regrouped and narrowed our focus to a few specific species. With more mapping in 2023, we completed our survey and developed our first comprehensive maps of invasive plants at Drumlin Farm. 

Once FNCP ended, we were hooked and wanted to stay involved. When we were looking for other opportunities, Metro West’s Volunteer Coordinator, Pam Sowizral, asked us to help with plant surveys at Drumlin Farm as part of a five-year permit to build resiliency in the wetlands. We surveyed plants in the vernal pool and worked with Pam, Senior Conservation Ecologist Flavio Sutti, and Property Worker Mark Annese to develop a restoration plan and co-lead volunteer groups to remove the invasives. We also tracked how native biodiversity responded to the restoration projects, and we’ve seen notable revivals of Common Jewelweed, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Bloodroot, and Devil’s beggarticks. It’s also interesting to see animals use the changed habitat. On trail cameras we’ve captured raccoons, coyotes, Cedar Waxwings, Wood Ducks, a fisher, and more. 

Ellie is off to college studying wildlife biology, but our habitat restoration projects continue. This work has helped us learn more about and feel connected to the natural complexity and interrelatedness of the world around us. We are grateful to Tia, Pam, Mark, and Flavio for teaching, supporting, and encouraging us in this work. We would not be here without them. 

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