Introducing Our 2025 Hubbard Fellows

Name: Kojo Baidoo

Alma Mater: Princeton University

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

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

I decided to apply to the Hubbard Fellowship because it was a unique opportunity for me to learn about an unexplored area of conservation for me in land management and stewardship, as well as learning about the ins and outs of a nonprofit conservation organization like The Nature Conservancy.

After school, there are very few positions out there where the main goal is just for you to learn, and that is exactly what this opportunity provides us—I am excited to make the most of it!

What have you learned so far? 

First and foremost, I am learning how delicate and balanced, yet varied prairie ecosystems are! I had never been to the prairie before coming to Nebraska, and although I wouldn’t say I had any (conscious) preconceived notions about it, being here has really opened my eyes to the beauty and nuance I’ve really been missing out on.

I find it so intriguing how prairie sites can all look uniform to the untrained eye, but there are subtle natural processes as well as decisions land managers can make that strongly influence biodiversity on several spatial scales. I wouldn’t say my eye is completely “trained” yet, but even though at the time of writing I’ve only been here about a month, I’m perceiving landscapes and the decisions that went into managing them in a whole new way!

Why should people care about conserving our lands and waters? 

I was lucky enough to find beauty in nature from a very young age and consider it a goal of mine to try and communicate its importance to as many people as possible. The conservation of the natural world’s land and water allows us to provide homes and habitats for countless beings who all deserve the right to live their lives, whether they be plants, animals, fungi, humans, you name it.

The more land we conserve, the more lives we can save, and hopefully the more people we can reach to show the value of conservation as a whole.

Who is your conservation hero and why? 

I would not say I have a defined conservation hero, mostly because I don’t believe that idolizing any one individual is always useful when conservation is a group effort with plenty of figures and groups that never go recognized. I can say look up to all the animals, plants, and other organisms that remain resilient and determined to live in a world where the odds are often stacked against them! They remind me why I chose to pursue conservation as a career.

Anything else we should know? Fun facts, hidden talents, major milestones.

I have been an avid birder since I was six years old, which is how I got involved with conservation! I added bird photography to the mix in my teenage years and enjoy posting my photos and videos on social media. Beyond birding, I was a self-taught gymnast and started cheerleading in high school, which I continued throughout college. So basically, doing flips is my favorite party trick!

Name: Noelle Schumann

Alma Mater: Kansas State University 

Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

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

A professor of mine at Kansas State floated a position at TNC Nebraska my way. The work the team has accomplished at PRP got my wheels turning. I wanted to understand conservation intimately through land management and see how it fits into the bigger part of the global effort. The Hubbard Fellowship offers just that. Figuring that out, along with encouragement from my prairie-loving community, I leaned in. 

What have you learned so far? 

In one short month, I’ve learned that I like tools in my tool belt. Every time we learn about a new tool/technique to shape the landscape, remove invasives, or enact war on Eastern Redcedar, I feel like I’ve leveled up in my ability to address the biodiversity needs of this landscape. I also am starting to think about the educational implications that the work on the Platte has for land managers in surrounding areas, even in other ecoregions. Across different grasslands, it’s fascinating to see where we align in management and where we differ.

Understanding such differences becomes beneficial to thinking about how general concepts transfer to specific contexts. Largely, I’ve learned that there is a balance between making quick decisions to get management done and the patience you need to see how a prairie is responding and to understand its needs. 

Why should people care about conserving our lands and waters? 

I could go for any number of reasons, but I’ll keep that number to two:

1) I believe that life on our land and in our waters holds inherent value. It hopped the same hurdles of life we did (well, perhaps not those single-celled organisms, not to detract from their value!)  and it deserves to stay as unhindered as it can be. Many cultures have expressed this general thought differently, and as it is explored in Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass, there should be a reciprocal relationship between us and the land we reside on. It’s given us a LOT, it’s right to give back. 

2) The persistence of our species may very well depend on the conservation of our lands and waters. Keeping water clean, providing efficient and nutritional agricultural practices, etc., these services that keep us alive have been enhanced by conserving a biodiverse world. Not to mention, we have no idea how many species and habitats we can run through before their destruction has a profound impact on us. 

Who is your conservation hero and why? 

I grew up under the understanding that conservation is a team sport. I have no idol, just lots of love for the collective efforts.

Anything else we should know? Fun facts, hidden talents, major milestones...

Outside of my work, I’m an avid rock climber and artist. Sometimes I use these activities to explore the natural world, but often, I use them to enjoy the company of others and engage in the wondrous parts of humanity.