The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota
Dr. Meredith Cornett is the Science Director for the Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, leads the Chapter’s Tackling Climate Change initiative, and is an adjunct member of the graduate faculty in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Forest Resources and Conservation Sciences Graduate Program. With her expertise in climate change, forest ecology, restoration and science communications, Meredith is described as a “super star” partner and leader around the topic of climate change in Minnesota and beyond. She has initiated outstanding collaborations and led some of the most innovative, large-scale research projects on climate change adaptation in Minnesota’s forests, particularly the “Adaptation Forestry in Minnesota’s Northwoods” and “Conifer Strongholds” programs. Not only is Meredith leading with passion in researching ways for Minnesota’s forests to adapt to on-going climate change, she also played a leading role in expanding The Nature Conservancy’s “Conserving Nature’s Stage” analysis across Minnesota and the Great Lakes region, which will help conservationists identify places on the landscape that are most likely to retain biological diversity under climate change. Meredith excels at research, education, and partnerships, and through her project coordination skills and leadership in gathering important data, educating natural resource specialists and citizens, and partnering with others, is driving progress in climate change adaptation in Minnesota.