Davia Palmeri is the Conservation Policy Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), representing the agency on the NW CASC Stakeholder Advisory Committee. In her role at ODFW, she helps the Department prepare for and respond to crosscutting conservation issues between its fish and wildlife divisions, including climate change, renewable energy development and conservation funding. Previously, she has worked on climate-related issues for the Association of Fish and Wildlife and the American Bird Conservancy. She has a Masters in Conservation Biology from Columbia University in the City of New York and a Bachelors in Biology from Dickinson College. Davia, her partner and her horse moved to the Pacific Northwest two years ago after spending most of their lives near the Atlantic Ocean. Says Davia “It has been fantastic to get to know the state of Oregon, including its ecoregions, people, and culture!”
What led you to work in the field of climate adaptation?
I did my graduate degree in Conservation Biology on the impacts of a new land use pattern on upland forest bird communities in Micronesia. Even though loss of cloud forest was an important concern for the persistence of endemic biodiversity and the supply of local drinking water, Micronesians were most concerned about sea level rise and other climate-related challenges. As I thought about the history and future of conservation, I recognized that the impacts of climate change will be the primary conservation issue for my generation.
What does your day-to-day work look like?
I work on developing and implementing policy related to climate change, climate adaptation, adaptation science & planning, renewable energy development, and funding for conservation. Most of my days are spent in conversations with Department of Fish and Wildlife staff, other agencies’ staff, and partners around the state and region about what is happening in the field, in academia and in the legislature on these subjects. I like to think of my position as being all about making connections across silos to look for ways to improve everyone’s outcomes.
How does your organization support climate resilience in the Northwest?
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is focused on healthy fish and wildlife habitat as the foundation of resilience for the resources we manage in trust for the public. The Fish and Wildlife Commission is currently considering a draft Climate and Ocean Change Policy that would provide consistent direction for incorporating information about the changing climate and ocean into the Department’s science, research, monitoring, planning for species and habitat management and operations. The Policy would also direct the Department to coordinate with other state agencies on a collective framework for identifying climate adaptation priorities for the state that minimizes maladaptive outcomes and maximizes win-win solutions for the state and region.
What is your favorite thing about your work?
My favorite thing about my work is the people that I get to do this work with. I grew up in the suburbs of New York City where many people go to work to collect their paycheck. I have not met anyone in the fields of wildlife conservation and climate adaptation who doesn’t hope to make change or make the world a better place through what they do. I find you all inspiring and am grateful to be a part of this community!