Featured Scientist

Laureen Thompson conducting a salt marsh harvest mouse survey in the Suisun marsh.


Thompson and a UC Davis graduate student putting a radio collar on a salt marsh harvest mouse.


Plant survey at the Suisun marsh.

When people ask Laureen Thompson what she does for a living, she often tells them she’s a “glorified mouse trapper.” If you get her talking more, she’ll tell you she’s an environmental scientist who works in the Suisun Marsh in Solano County. Much of her work involves the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse. Her duties also include managing CDFW’s role in monitoring compliance of permits for outside agencies and preservation agreements that protect the marsh and its wildlife. Thompson graduated from University of California, Davis, with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology. She was hired by CDFW in 1993.

What sparked your interest in wildlife conservation?

When I was a kid, my grandparents were very involved in the Associated Sportsmen of California. They interacted with the California Fish and Game Commission, wrote letters and commented on laws and regulations. I used to go out in the field with them. At the time, I didn’t realize how much they were influencing me. All through school I kept moving toward wildlife conservation. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I kept following what I liked.

How did you become involved with the salt marsh harvest mouse?

I started out my career as a waterfowl biologist, and I heard of the position in the Suisun Marsh where an endangered mouse was potentially being affected by duck club owners managing facilities for waterfowl. I had the impression that the mouse was not being negatively impacted by the way duck clubs were managed for wildlife. We started surveying for the mouse the way it had always been done: putting traps in areas of short pickleweed plants. But when we didn’t catch anything, we started trapping in tall vegetation – really tall, almost to the point where it resembled an apartment complex to a mouse. We started catching a lot of the endangered mice, and we soon realized that the marsh likely has the highest numbers anywhere in the mouse’s range. We were able to hire some really good scientific aids and received several grants. We started doing radio telemetry studies, putting tiny radio collars on mice, as well as studies looking into mouse numbers in tidal wetlands vs. diked wetlands, and we were able to show that the mouse population is equal or greater in diked wetlands in certain times of the year. Now we’re looking at genetics and genetic diversity – not just in Suisun but in the mouse’s entire range from the bay area to Lower Sherman Island Wildlife Area and into the Bay-Delta.

What threats does the salt marsh harvest mouse face?

The public is familiar with sea level rise, and how we’re going to lose existing marshes and infrastructure as sea level rises. The marsh is where the mouse lives and they will eventually get flooded out and have no place to go. If we don’t accommodate for sea level rise and keep the marshes expanding and alive, we could lose the mouse. It may not seem like that big of a deal. But the mouse is a key indicator showing the health of the marsh. By losing the marsh, we lose what’s filtering and cleaning the water, which results in loss of habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife species. Diked wetlands are a way to protect the mouse and provide protections for roads and buildings. If we can improve management of diked wetlands, those improvements will also help bird and waterfowl communities.

What would you like the public to know about Suisun marsh?

The main thing I’d like people to know is that public use near the marsh can have a negative impact on the animals that live there. We want everyone to be able to recreate in the marsh and appreciate all it has to offer, but we also want people to follow a few simple rules like keeping your dogs in line and not dumping trash. There’s a lot of wildlife living out there that you don’t ever see. Be mindful. If there’s a trail, stay on the trail. You can end up destroying the marsh if you go deeper into it.

Are there any species of wildlife in the marsh that might surprise people?

There’s a population of western pond turtle, and many snake species including gopher snakes, racers and garter snakes. Additionally, there are numerous bird species, river otters and a large tule elk population.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Getting out in the field at o’dark-thirty and watching the sunrise. I get to be out in the field five to 20 days per month. My duties allow me to have maintain flexible hours for the most part, so I can be out working before sunrise and after sunset.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Sometimes, it’s not having enough time in the day to get things done. Collecting and managing data, answering emails, attending meetings, and report writing. I really do enjoy all aspects of my job.

What advice do you have for people interested in conservation careers?

Get out and volunteer. Find out what you really like to do and don’t like to do. I receive many applications for seasonal staff positions. Too often, applicants have the necessary college education, but have not tried to obtain any conservation-related experience. When people apply for our positions, they should know how to think on their feet and have some basic experience through class fieldwork, seasonal work with an agency, or volunteering. When you volunteer, you get to know your likes and dislikes and increase your networking opportunities. If the people you work with like your work ethic, they may be able to help find job opportunities in the future. Don’t be afraid to ask someone if you can help out. You never know when it could lead to a paying job.

CDFW photos

Rocha manages the nearly 17,000-acre Grizzly Island Wildlife Area (GIWA) in Solano County.


GIWA offers seasonal hunting opportunities for waterfowl, tule elk and wild pigs.

Orlando Rocha is CDFW’s environmental scientist for the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area (GIWA) in Solano County. His main role is ensuring that there is suitable habitat for the fish, plant and wildlife species that inhabit the nearly 17,000-acre wildlife area. His day-to-day job includes habitat management planning, coordinating wildlife surveys, managing permits and overseeing hunt programs. Additionally, he is responsible for partnering with agencies and nonprofits for research, management and wildlife conservation projects.

Rocha began volunteering at CDFW’s American River Hatchery when he was a junior in high school and was later hired to work weekends. He then attended Humboldt State University where he earned a degree in wildlife management and conservation. After graduating, Rocha worked part-time as a scientific aid for CDFW until he was hired as a biologist for the Suisun Resource Conservation District. He was hired by CDFW as GIWA’s biologist in 2013.

What inspired you to become a scientist?

When I was about 11 years old, my dad and I were fishing at Ice House Reservoir when a U.S. Forest Service officer rode up on a dirt bike to talk to us. I was shocked that you could do that as a job, so that may have been my first inspiration. But I’ve wanted to work outdoors for as long as I can remember. My birthday is in July and growing up all I ever wanted to do for my birthday was go camping. Once I started volunteering at the hatchery during high school, I found that all my colleagues were good people. They were fun to be around and seemed to like the work they were doing. One of the hatchery employees told me I needed to go to Humboldt State University if I wanted to become a biologist for CDFW, so that’s exactly what I did!

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Definitely time management. There’s always something to do at GIWA, which is nice but also one of the toughest aspects of the job. There’s a lot to keep our eyes on – from checking water levels in our ponds to completing surveys, serving visitors and preparing upcoming hunt programs for waterfowl, tule elk or wild pigs. But it’s also a good thing because I’m never bored.

What would you like people to know about GIWA?

Many people see GIWA as they drive by on Highway 680 or Highway 12, but they may not realize how many wildlife populations we have here. There are many species of birds that migrate in and out. In addition to waterfowl, we have northern harriers, black-necked stilts, American avocets, great horned owls, eagles and more. Recent studies have shown that many of our birds migrate from as far away as Canada, Alaska and Montana. In addition to birds, we have one of the most visible tule elk herds in California. There’s all this great wildlife to see if you visit us, and our main office is only nine miles from Highway 12.

What’s your biggest career accomplishment so far?

I’d say the partnerships formed with other agencies and non-profits that help us keep improving our water management and habitat. I’m currently working with the California Waterfowl Association on a proposal that is funded through the sale of duck stamps. The project will help GIWA in two ways: First, it will help ensure a more reliable water source for the closed zone at GIWA. Closed zones are an important part of wildlife areas that provide sanctuary where wintering migrant birds can go to be undisturbed. Second, the project will include levee repair and the installation of new water control structures which will allow us to improve wildlife habitat by providing additional water control in four of our most popular hunting units.

What advice do you have for young people who are considering careers in science or natural resources?

The biggest thing is experience. Schooling is great, and you can’t go wrong continuing your education by getting a master’s degree or Ph.D. But if you and another job candidate have the same educational background, it’s your experience that will get you the job. Get experience any way you can, whether it’s at your local hatchery or wildlife area or volunteering to plant trees for a nonprofit. At GIWA, we occasionally have students help with our elk surveys. From a certain perspective, all we’re doing is counting elk from a truck. But from another perspective, the volunteer is learning survey protocol, and that’s the type of experience that will help them get ahead of the competition.

Networking is important too. During my first year at Humboldt State University, I just went to class, came home and hung out with my roommates. It was kind of boring. Then I decided to join the wildlife club on campus and spend more time networking with people who wanted careers in conservation. I’m still friends with a lot of those people. Now we work for various wildlife agencies and organizations and support each other in the work we do.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a biologist?

I like working with my hands. If there was no such thing as a wildlife biologist, I would probably be a gunsmith or a butcher.

CDFW Photos. Top Photo: CDFW Environmental Scientist Orlando Rocha

Media Contact:
Ken Paglia, CDFW Communications, (916) 322-8958