Introducing our 2026 Hubbard Fellows

Name: Leah Zuschlag

Alma Mater: University of Wisconsin - Madison

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

What led you to apply for The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska's Hubbard Fellowship?

My previous supervisor at UW Lakeshore Preserve shared this position with me. It piqued my interest because it was so different from any other jobs I was looking at since one of the main priorities of the fellowship is to learn. Through college, and even now, I’ve been trying to explore different career avenues in my field and find a specialty. This seemed like a great blend where I could try a bunch of things out while having the freedom to dig deeper if something really interests me.

What is one skill you’re developing through the fellowship that you didn’t expect?

I don’t know how to categorize the skills I’m developing through this aspect, but I didn’t expect to gain such an understanding of how a nonprofit organization actually works and all the support that goes on behind the physical conservation work. Meeting with volunteers, partners, board members and the rest of Nebraska’s TNC staff has been inspiring to see the level of collaboration that goes on. It has helped me understand the bigger picture, how ideas and worked through, how decisions are made, how projects are supported, and I am getting a better sense of how to navigate and contribute to TNC’s work.

What’s one place, moment, or experience during your fellowship so far that has really stuck with you?

It’s hard to choose just one because we’ve done and seen so much in such a short time! We recently visited the Niobrara Valley Preserve which was really astounding to me. The change in topography, seeing their bison herd was really cool and got me excited for roundup season, and just how remote it felt. I also must mention the sandhill cranes. Prior to moving here, I did not even know the migration stopover was along the Platte, so it was great to have that as my introduction to this state.

What is one word to describe the fellowship?

Dynamic

Why should people care about conserving our lands and waters?

To me, the most apparent reason is because it is what supports all of us on this Earth. The step my brain makes is that if you care about being here, you should care about the natural environment you are in. The idea that humans are separate from the natural world makes it too easy to rationalize the loss and degradation of land and water, but our reliance on it is a true constant. Beyond that kind of utilitarian perspective, there is so much wonder in the natural world. You find one plant and you can see how it works with the soil, microbes, insects, and other plants around it. There's always something new to learn!

Who is your conservation hero and why?

The more I work in the conservation field, the more I realize the biggest influences on me are the people I work with and collaborate with in this field. Some of the big names in conservation have definitely helped shape how I view the natural world and added appreciation for it, but I find myself getting the most excited about conservation from my team members, supervisors, and volunteers I work with.

Anything else we should know?

I’ve been a sketch artist in my free time but have been using it to introduce myself to prairie species, doing botany illustrations and trying to learn about all the animals that are around here, which has been fun! I’ve also been getting back into running (which Nebraska’s flatness has been great for).

Name: Sarah Kennings

Alma Mater: Michigan Technological University

Hometown: Chelsea, Michigan

What led you to apply for The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska's Hubbard Fellowship?

Most entry-level jobs in this field are short seasonal positions, so the opportunity to live, learn and work in one place for a full year was very appealing to me. I have done seasonal work in the past and it has taken me to some really cool places, but there’s also something to be said about becoming more grounded in one place. I feel the fellowship this year will truly allow me to dive into what Nebraska and TNC has to offer.

What is one skill you’re developing through the fellowship that you didn’t expect?

I’m developing so many technical skills like operating a chainsaw, tractor, etc., but I was not expecting to develop my communication skills so much. We host a lot of crane viewing tours at the Platte River Preserve during the spring migration, so I’ve gotten to talk to people from all over the country and beyond. A lot of people are interested in seeing the birds, so it’s fun to put my knowledge of prairies and TNC to the test and try to sell them on the broader mission of our work here in the state of Nebraska. It’s been really cool to listen to our visitors because many of them ask really amazing questions that I don’t know the answers to just yet, so I’m right there alongside them learning about grassland management, biodiversity in the prairies, crane migrations, bison and so much more!

What’s one place, moment, or experience during your fellowship so far that has really stuck with you?

Just recently we took our first trip to the Niobrara Valley Preserve (NVP) and I was completely blown away! NVP is located in the Northern reaches of the state along the Niobrara River and is roughly 56,000 acres in size. Just the sheer size of the prairie once you get off the road was astounding – you couldn’t see anything else, not even a fence, at points. Looking over the river valley at sunset will stick with me for a very long time. I never would’ve guessed that we were in Nebraska if you just dropped me down on the map right there. It reminded me of the high deserts in Oregon, but NVP is completely its own thing at the same time.

What is one word to describe the fellowship?

Dynamic. You are always working on different things, meeting new people and experiencing what life in a conservation organization is like. You could be working on fencing one day and attending meetings in Omaha the next – it’s great!

Why should people care about conserving our lands and waters?

I could write an entire book about this question (and many people have), but the answer to me is plain and simple: Without our lands, we have no food. Without our waters, we will be thirsty. We must sustain the systems that sustain us.

Who are your conservation influences and why?

So many women in conservation inspire me to show up and give my best every day. Mary C. Baltz was one of the first women, if not the first, to be assigned to the field for the Soil Conservation Service during the labor shortage in World War II. Suzanne Simard, author of Finding the Mother Tree, worked in the male-dominated field of forestry and researched the connections between plants and fungus. I read Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass during my rookie field season and my life will forever be changed. She was the first one to introduce the concept of engaging in reciprocity with nature to me, and that has deeply influenced my approach to conservation. These women are foundational in my life as a scientist and land steward, but my dad was the first one to get me out into the woods. He used to be a Troop Leader for my brother’s boy scout troop, and I would tag along to meetings and events where I learned how to tie knots, build a fire, identify and plant trees, and ski.

Anything else we should know?

I like to write music! I take a lot of inspiration from nature and I like to sit outside on nice days and play guitar. You also might find me making up and singing silly tunes about cranes, rivers and prairies around the preserve.