Mariessa Fowler
Mariessa Fowler Interview for The Canyon Echo
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Mariessa Fowler. I was born and raised in Copper Mine, Arizona. I recently graduated from NAU with a bachelor's in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in policy and administration. I am currently in my fourth internship with the Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals at NAU. With my current internship, I have been working for the Wood for Life program.
What led you to the path you are on?
My sophomore year of High School I went on a San Juan River trip. We were joined by ecological professionals from various career paths, including water quality testing, bat ecologists, parks service, high school teacher, etc. It was there I learned about the field of environmental science and how it had to do with understanding the natural world. It inspired me to want to work outside with the land and water in some way. I grew up on the land–learning about plants, hiking, etc. Ultimately, I realized this path followed my own cultural teachings, which ignited my passion for it even more. I chose to pursue policy and administration because there are not enough decision-makers in land management coming from an indigenous perspective. Currently, my main passion is water policy, but I look forward to continually learning about and from different fields to gain experience and build my skill set.
How did you get involved with the Sierra Club?
I got involved with the Sierra Club through a community engagement course I took at NAU.A small group of students and I partnered with the Sierra Club to organize around the protection of the Sacred Peaks outside of “Flagstaff, Arizona.”
Most pertinent environmental issues to you right now?
The most pertinent environmental issue right now is the lack of initiative around water conservation and mindfulness across the Southwest. Our actions to reduce our water usage are limited but it’s pertinent for our leaders to consider the future of water availability. I hope leaders and communities build towards sustainable living, water mindfulness, and awareness about water issues in tribal communities.
Tell us about the field work you've been doing this summer?
Field work I have been working on throughout the summer involves forest restoration and field metrics. I would join field crews and help them collect data from plots across the Peaks and Parks, Arizona. Each of the plots serves a purpose in providing a scope of how our forest landscape is changing over time. To end my internship, I went on a field trip to Mt. Trumbull, which is outside of Grand Canyon National Park and in the area of Fredonia, AZ. This trip was to orient the field crew to the area and explore its beauty. We attended a pinyon pine tree data collection trip with the field crew, but afterwards explored the nearby sky islands. We visited Mt. Taylor and explored its summit, where the views were spectacular. After this, we ended our evening at the Toroweep Overlook and enjoyed our dinner while witnessing the stunning sights of Grand Canyon.
Why is it important, what do you want folks to know?
The Ecological Restoration Institute that I worked with over the summer had incredible research and efforts to increase forest restoration across the Southwest. They are dedicated to the development of restoration efforts and maintenance of National forests. Their field work is incredibly valuable to many entities and not limited to NAU.