About 👋

Hi, I’m CJ Reilly — a graduate student in Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE) at Cornell University 🎓, specializing in Forest Ecology and Management 🌲. My work explores how forest ecosystems function 🌿 and how communities — especially youth 👩‍👧‍👦 — play a vital role in stewarding biodiversity, from microbial networks below ground 🦠 to dynamic forest canopies above 🌳. Rooted in the belief that learning happens best through experience, I design and lead opportunities where people can observe, explore, and discover the natural world firsthand. Whether I’m working with recreation groups 🚵‍♀️, school districts 🏫, or local residents 🏡, my goal is to foster a deeper understanding of place and a lasting commitment to greenspace stewardship 🌱. I believe that when learners piece together ecological relationships on their own — with the right support and context — those insights stick for life. Currently on academic leave, I serve as Director of the O’Hara Nature Center 🏞️, managing urban forestry grants 🌳💰 and overseeing land stewardship for Irvington Woods Park as the village’s certified arborist 🌿🪓. In this role, I lead environmental education programs 📚, develop NYSSLS-aligned field experiences 👩‍🔬👨‍🔬, and support student-driven research through the Harvard Forest Schoolyard Ecology Program 🍁. These projects reflect my commitment to bridging research, education, and real-world conservation — while cultivating observation, responsibility, and wonder in the next generation of environmental stewards 🌍. 📩 Let’s connect: cjr272@cornell.edu