Deborah Landau
Director of Ecological Management
Bethesda, MD
Deborah Landau Director of Ecological Management © Severn Smith / TNC
Areas of Expertise
fire ecology, conservation biology, forest ecology, habitat restoration, invasive species management
Biography
Deborah joined the Maryland/DC chapter in 2001. Her work focuses on restoration at more than 30 TNC preserves across Maryland and DC and reaching into West Virginia. She works with partners and TNC staff across chapters to restore natural communities, ensuring they are healthy and resilient. Her efforts include large scale tree planting to restore native Atlantic white cedar and red spruce; returning natural processes to the landscape through hydrologic restoration; and monitoring how plants, animals and natural communities respond to these conservation actions.
Fire plays an important role in Deborah's work—she has planned, implemented and managed more than a hundred controlled burns over the course of her career. She serves as the chapter's Engine Boss and Firing Boss. Deborah is the project lead for the Potomac Headwaters Fire Learning Network, and she serves as adjunct faculty at Frostburg State University and Salisbury University.
Before coming to TNC, Deborah worked on the MesoAmerican Biological Corridor for the World Bank, focusing on Belize, Nicaragua and Honduras.
Deborah has a a Ph.D. in Entomology and Plant Biology from Louisiana State University; a Master of Science degree in Entomology and Plant Pathology from the University of Tennessee; and a Bachelor of Science degree in International Environmental Studies and International Food and Agriculture from Rutgers University, Cook College.