Featured Scientist

One of several burned trail cameras Martinelli lost in the Knoxville Wildlife Area as a result of the County Fire in July 2018.


Martinelli on the bagpipes


Martinelli holds a kingsnake from the Santa Rosa Plain Vernal Pool Ecological Reserve in Sonoma County

Stacy Martinelli is CDFW’s wine country wildlife biologist. An environmental scientist based in Santa Rosa, Stacy is assigned to Napa and Sonoma counties where she has worked the past 10 years conducting wildlife research, resolving human-wildlife conflicts and helping manage CDFW’s properties.

Stacy was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. She earned an undergraduate degree in wildlife management from Montreal’s McGill University and a master’s degree in wildlife ecology, also from McGill. For her graduate research, she studied black ducks in Nova Scotia, one of Canada’s Maritime provinces on the Atlantic Coast.

What brought you to the United States?

Work – like every immigrant. I just couldn’t find work in Canada so I answered an ad in an ornithological newsletter looking for help on a waterfowl research project down in Los Banos. I was like, “I’ll do that. That’ll be fun. I’ll just start building my résumé.” It was a six-month contract helping a graduate student from the University of Missouri with some research. The project ended and I thought, “I like California.” That was in 1995.

How did you get to CDFW?

After Los Banos, somebody knew somebody that needed a biologist for the Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD) in the Suisun Marsh. I spent three years in that job. I lived out in the barracks on Grizzly Island alongside CDFW employees. It was really a lot of fun. At SRCD, we worked closely with the department as well. So I knew people and how the department worked and I thought I would love to work for the department. I applied for a Habitat Conservation Program job in San Diego in 1988 and spent a year down there as an environmental scientist reviewing projects and issuing permits. I got a transfer and promotion to our Bay Delta Region and worked in our Timberland Conservation Program until 2008 when I got my current job.

What’s kept you in this job for the past decade?

It’s such a great job. I am so thankful for this job. It’s so variable. It’s a good mix of field work, research and monitoring. There’s a lot of hands-on work. Sonoma and Napa counties are really exceptional because there is just high biodiversity here and there is still a lot of open space. I am a little worried about the housing crunch and all the talk to build more housing but there’s still a lot of great wildlife habitat that’s out here. We’ve got the coast in Sonoma. In Napa, we’ve got the beautiful east side with the Knoxville Wildlife Area that’s still pristine. And even here on the west side of Santa Rosa, we’ve got (endangered) tiger salamanders. We’ve got neighbors around them, but they’re still here and that’s really cool. We’re trying to do everything we can to make sure they don’t disappear.

Last October, this region experienced some of the most devastating wildfires in U.S. history. You’ve had more fires this year. What’s been the impact to wildlife?

There was high mortality for sure, especially with the Tubbs Fire last year, which burned so quickly. The species that live here – bobcat, coyote, gray fox, blacktail deer – they’re fairly resilient and adaptable. I don’t worry about them on a population level. They are going to be fine.

I am working on two projects right now looking at fire effects. One of those is in the Knoxville Wildlife Area. This is year three of a camera trap study. It’s a way of measuring the wildlife community with cameras in terms of abundance and presence of different species and the balance among those species.

I’ve got 23 trail cameras spread out there in a grid pattern about a kilometer apart. I’ve got half of my cameras on the west side of the wildlife area and half of my cameras on the east side. The east side burned in July in the County Fire and I lost a bunch of cameras. They just melted. But some survived and I’ve got photos of the flames and the smoke and everything.

The cool thing is I have three years of baseline data so I know what the wildlife community looks like pre-fire and now we get to see what the wildlife community looks like post-fire. We actually talked to Cal Fire at one point about doing a prescribed burn to study this exact thing, and now 6,000 acres are gone as a result of the County Fire.

My hope is that we see a rejuvenation of the chaparral community because that stuff just gets super woody. Deer browse those shrub species and as they age and become woody, they lose their nutritional value. All the new growth is going to provide a wonderful new food source for them. I’m pretty excited about the whole thing.

It sounds like the Knoxville Wildlife Area is a pretty special place.

It’s a very important piece of property. I’m so lucky I get to work on it. It’s huge. It’s 22,000 acres of mostly oak woodlands and grasslands with the chaparral component. There’s not a lot of other public hunting land around here. If you’re a Bay Area resident, Knoxville is the closest place to hunt deer.

The funny thing is when I first started working there I was like, “OK, nothing lives here.” I never saw any wildlife. Maybe I would see a deer or two by the side of the road but even when I explored the backcountry, I never saw much of anything. It was like a dead zone. What lives here? I have no idea.

But we’ve found all kinds of wildlife with our camera study. We found bears, which I thought was cool. We knew there were mountain lions, but we wanted documentation. There are more deer there than I thought. We never used to see bucks. But then I got some cameras up in the high elevations, the mostly inaccessible areas and it was like, “Aha! I know where you are now!” We saw badger. We found roadrunner. We found spotted skunk. These are all species that would be really tough to see in the field. So it’s been really exciting.

Is there a particular project you’ve worked on over your career that you’re especially proud of?

I’m not sure I’ve done that signature project yet. To me, land conservation is the biggest contribution that I think I can make and we as a department can make. They’re just not making any more land. If we don’t get the land, there’s always the risk of development. I’m pretty passionate about land conservation for wildlife. So I’m waiting for that opportunity to be part of locking up a piece of land for the wildlife community – and for the public, too.

What advice would you give a young person thinking about a career in natural resources?

I think the best thing is to do as much field work as you possibly can – especially during your undergraduate studies. Volunteer. Get an internship. Just be active in the wildlife community as best you can.

We have students call us quite often and we hire a bunch of scientific aides. I’ve done a lot of interviews and looked at a lot of résumés. Unfortunately, we see people who have graduated from college without a stitch of field experience. They’ve not done one thing. Start padding your résumé and just be prepared the next couple of years to travel around and do field projects throughout the state, throughout the country, throughout the world. Eventually you will get there. But be patient because you have to suffer some horrible pay and eating Top Ramen for a while before you can latch onto something permanent.

Tell us something about yourself people would be surprised to learn.

I play bagpipes in a bagpipe band. I play with the Macintosh Pipe Band in Larkspur, Marin County, and I go down and practice every week. We compete in the Bay Area, Monterey, and have played across the U.S., Scotland and Mexico. I learned how to play in Canada and I’ve stuck with it ever since. It’s a passion of mine.

Photos courtesy of Stacy Martinelli. Top Photo: Martinelli searches Mount St. Helena in Napa County for deer fecal pellets as part of CDFW’s statewide deer population survey, which extracts DNA information from the pellets.

 

Corinne Gibble is an environmental scientist for CDFW’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR), working at the department’s Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center (MWVCRC) in Santa Cruz. Corinne studies the health and pathology of marine birds, with the ultimate goal of providing the best care possible to birds that are impacted by oil spills. She also researches and monitors emerging threats to seabird populations. During oil spills, she serves as a first responder, filling a variety of roles within the incident command post.

Corinne earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology from the University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as a master’s degree in marine science from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and a PhD from UC Santa Cruz. Her master’s thesis research investigated the food habits of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) in San Francisco Bay, with a focus on the increasing importance of invasive species in their diet.

While she was pursing her doctorate, she was a NOAA Nancy Foster Scholar in the lab of Raphael Kudela, where she conducted research investigating the movement of the cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa, and associated toxin microcystin from terrestrial to marine environments in Monterey Bay. She examined the uptake and retention of this toxin in shellfish, and developed new methodology to detect the occurrence of this toxin in estuarine birds and seabirds.

Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?

I’ve always had an innate sense of wonder about the natural world. During my childhood in Pennsylvania, my parents emphasized outdoor exploration and nurtured my love of animals and nature at every turn. I also had some amazing science teachers! I owe a lot of gratitude to one high school teacher in particular, Dr. Doug Dahms. He helped me harness and focus that energy and motivated me to go into the field of wildlife biology and ecology.

What got you interested in working with wildlife?

My mother wanted to be a veterinarian, but chose a different career path, so I grew up with a collection of pets. I was around all types of animals from a young age, allowing me to develop compassion, respect and awe for companion animals and wildlife. I’ve always been fascinated by wildlife and the outdoors, and working with wildlife in some capacity was always my goal.

What brought you to CDFW?

When I was working on my MS degree, I was hired to work on a grant-funded seabird health project. This study was funded by the Scientific Study and Evaluation Program (SSEP), which is an OSPR-run research program that provides a mechanism for investigating, evaluating and improving applied OSPR programs, best achievable technologies and our knowledge of the adverse effects of oil spills in the marine environment. That project was housed at the MWVCRC, so I spent four years working with CDFW employees. Since my current job combines my scientific interests and my passion for the care of oiled wildlife, it is a perfect fit for me.

What is a typical day like for you at work?

Some of the most rewarding work I do is serving alongside other OSPR employees and Oiled Wildlife Care Network affiliates during oil spills and other large mortality events to support sick, injured and oiled seabirds. But my typical day varies quite a bit, and my work is multi-faceted. You might find me in the field on a beach survey, in the necropsy laboratory examining birds from die-off events or oiling events, or in my office analyzing data and writing reports and publications. Since I am an employee of CDFW-OSPR, some of my work also revolves around oil spill preparedness and response. I frequently attend drills and trainings pertaining to oil spills and oiled wildlife care.

Scientists involved in environmental and wildlife science contribute to our knowledge base and provide the capacity to improve how we can act as guardians of the natural environment. In general, environmental scientists and natural resource managers are attempting to answer questions that help support healthy ecosystems. Good data and sound scientific design are key to studies that are useable and easy to implement. I truly enjoy producing science that supports the best achievable care for oiled wildlife.

If you had free reign and unlimited funding, what scientific project would you most like to do?

I would like to put more funding into long-term monitoring programs for seabirds. Projects like these are often not funded because they are not especially flashy. However, they are incredibly important for understanding the baseline information for seabird populations. This important data helps scientists gauge what is normal when something like an oil spill or a large mortality event occurs!

Generally, scientists working in ecology are doing all of their work on a shoestring budget, and often the process of designing and carrying proper experiments takes quite a bit of time. Sometimes, a large span of time and a lot of research is needed to find the true answer.

Over the course of your career, was there a discovery or an incident that surprised you?

I feel fortunate my career lends itself to different experiences. Some of these include participating in whale, pinniped, sea turtle and seabird research. Perhaps one of my favorite and surprising discoveries was finding out how much you can learn from harbor seal scat. My MS research explored the diet of harbor seals by examining fish ear bones (otoliths) and other diagnostic bones from fish found in their droppings.

Do you have any advice for people considering careers in science or natural resources?

My advice would be to not focus on one particular species. Be open and interested in the questions and the interconnectedness of many fields in science. If you keep that in mind, you will have many opportunities to study and interact with subjects that you think are interesting! Also, don’t be shy to volunteer! Volunteering and interning gives people considering careers in science necessary field experience and allows them to explore different scientific disciplines.

Photos courtesy of Corinne Gibble

Erin Chappell is an Environmental Program Manager in CDFW’s Wildlife Branch, overseeing the department’s Nongame Wildlife Program. Until recently, she worked for the Fish and Game Commission, where she served as Wildlife Advisor. In her new position with CDFW, which she’s held since February, Erin oversees a staff of 13 scientists who work with CDFW’s regional offices to help conserve and manage California’s nongame and threatened and endangered wildlife species. She is also responsible for managing two critical grant programs: the State Wildlife Grant Program, which directs federal funds to benefit nongame species in California, and the Endangered Species Act Section 6 grant funding for research, recovery and land acquisition for endangered species. Erin is a graduate of Humboldt State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biological oceanography.

Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?

I grew up mostly in California but I have also lived in Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Germany. My dad was my inspiration. He was a high school biology teacher, both in Germany where he taught at an American school that was part of the Department of Defense Dependent Schools system and in California. He was always exposing us to wildlife. What got me hooked was when he took me tide-pooling in Monterey when I was 10. I was fascinated by the variety of animals all using and sharing such a unique habitat. I wanted to learn more about the species and their interaction with the ocean.

Did you originally plan to pursue oceanography, then?

Yes, I originally planned to be a marine biologist specializing in marine invertebrates but ended up getting a scientific aid position with CDFW’s Stockton office, identifying freshwater zooplankton and larval fish. I also assisted with two diet analysis studies, one for juvenile striped bass and one for Delta smelt. My job was to identify the zooplankton in their stomachs and intestines.

From there, my career path shifted inland. I spent 10 years tracking juvenile Chinook salmon in the Delta for the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), two more years working on a Habitat Expansion Agreement for spring-run Chinook and then six years working for DWR’s climate change program, where I focused on climate change adaptation for the water sector. I joined the Fish and Game Commission in 2016.

How did your work experience lead you to your current job?

Starting in 2010, I had opportunities to work on a number of efforts that involved the concept of integrated resource management. A key aspect of my work was integrating environmental stewardship and ecosystem services into cross-sector planning in a meaningful way.

For example, I worked on ways to use green infrastructure, such as wetland restoration, as way to buffer storm surge, improve water quality, provide habitat for species and recreational opportunities, reduce operation and maintenance costs and improve public health and safety. Another example is restoring mountain meadows as a way to not only provide habitat for species, but also to increase water retention, decrease erosion and improve water quality.

While I was able to gain a lot of experience in fisheries and water management, I was missing an integral piece: wildlife management. So, I began looking for opportunities to work more specifically on wildlife. That’s what ultimately brought me to the Fish and Game Commission as its Wildlife Advisor.

What exactly does the wildlife advisor do for the commission?

My job was to advise the Commission on wildlife and inland fisheries management issues and potential regulatory changes. I had to consider biological, societal and political factors for almost every issue. The advisor also facilitates the Wildlife Resources Committee as a forum for discussions among the Commission, CDFW and stakeholders on wildlife and inland fisheries issues, as well as other stakeholder forums as necessary.

What brought you to CDFW?

As the Commission’s wildlife advisor, I had the pleasure of working and interacting with staff throughout CDFW. Across the board, I was impressed by their expertise and dedication to the protection and enhancement of California’s natural resources. It made me want to become part of the team. My new position will also allow me to expand on the knowledge I gained at the Commission.

What is special about working in the Wildlife Branch’s Nongame Program?

Working in the Wildlife Branch allows me to coordinate and collaborate not just with staff within the branch but with staff throughout the entire department. Being able to capitalize on all that knowledge and experience is essential for effectively conserving and managing species and their habitats against sometimes seemingly overwhelming odds. Finding new ways to help species adapt to and thrive in the face of population growth, land conversion, and climate change is a challenge I just can’t pass up.

What sort of projects are you working on right now?

Most of my time right now is being spent on getting to know my staff and learning as much as possible about all the things they are doing. As far as projects go, we have three big priorities. The first is the California Endangered Species Act. Our staff completed a status review of the tricolored blackbird earlier this year, and the Commission listed it as threatened, consistent with our recommendation.. We are now finalizing the status review for the Humboldt martin, leading development of status reviews for the foothill yellow-legged frog and the Cascades frog, and working to prioritize five-year status reviews.<

Scientific collecting permits are another priority. New regulations were approved earlier this year and will go into effect on Oct. 1. This includes a new online system for applications, so we are working on developing that and preparing guidance documents for permitees to help them make the transition.

And, lastly, we are actively working on a number of conservation strategies – for Mojave ground squirrel, great gray owl and willow flycatcher, and planning for another one on Sierra Nevada red fox. Also in development is the Bat Conservation Plan and an update to the Mammal Species of Special Concern report.

When you look back at your career so far, what project are you the most proud of?

The project I’m most proud of is my work with juvenile Chinook salmon. I was part of an interagency team that designed a decision matrix that could be used in real-time to make operational decisions for the state and federal water projects to protect listed winter-run and spring-run Chinook salmon and improve water supply reliability. The project demonstrated how real-time monitoring data could be used to inform management decisions while balancing multiple needs. In thinking about it, salmon are probably my favorite – their life history diversity is amazing and their resiliency is inspiring.

If you had free reign and unlimited funding, what scientific project would you most like to do?

I’d like to take on a comprehensive, multi-species, statewide monitoring project. Uncertainty abounds in too many of the management decisions we’re asked to make every day because we lack the basic species data necessary to answer key questions.

What is the best thing about being a wildlife scientist?

Playing an active role in helping to ensure that current and future generations are able to enjoy all that the natural world has to offer.

Do you have any advice for people considering careers in science or natural resources?

Create a broad network of colleagues from as many disciplines as possible – modelers, engineers, social scientists and others can provide valuable perspectives and help you find some of the missing pieces in Mother Nature’s elaborate puzzle.

Photos courtesy of Erin Chappell.