| About The Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center The Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center is a newly formed collaboration between the Lake Erie Islands chapter of the Black Swamp Conservancy and the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society. The mission of the Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center is to promote conservation and education of the flora, fauna, and lands of the Lake Erie Islands ecosystem. Along with being in the middle of the walleye capital of the world, the islands are home to hundreds of species of birds and are the only place in the country where the federally threatened Lake Erie Watersnake can be found. Utilizing our unique location we aim to provide a one of a kind ecological/educational experience for the 700,000+ visitors that come to South Bass Island each summer. |
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Board Members
| Who We Are |
Valerie Mettler
Valerie Mettler, has been a LEIC-BSC board member, 2004 – Present,
and LEINWC board member, 2007 – Present and currently holds the
office of Vice-Chairperson. She holds a B.S.in Education (Health, Phys.
Ed., Recreation, Dance) from the University of Akron and has taken classes
at OSU Stone Lab, is a Nature Camp co-ordinator and instructor 2004 -
Present and does programs on local snakes and spiders to groups through
the LEINWC.
Valerie Mettler, has been a LEIC-BSC board member, 2004 – Present,
and LEINWC board member, 2007 – Present and currently holds the
office of Vice-Chairperson. She holds a B.S.in Education (Health, Phys.
Ed., Recreation, Dance) from the University of Akron and has taken classes
at OSU Stone Lab, is a Nature Camp co-ordinator and instructor 2004 -
Present and does programs on local snakes and spiders to groups through
the LEINWC.
Lisa Brohl
Lisa Kutschbach-Brohl, the chair of the Lake Erie Islands Chapter of the Black
Swamp Conservancy and director of the Nature Camp Programs, has a B.S.
degree from the Ohio State University in Natural Resources
(Parks/Interpretation). She received her M.S. from OSU in environmental science
with a specialty in wetlands. She has an abundance of educational work
experience including work with the National Park service, as an instructor at the
Ohio State University Stone Laboratory (workshops and Local Flora college
courses) as well as being a certified Project WET, WILD, and Learning Tree
facilitator. Lisa has also worked as a biological technician with the U. S.
Geological Survey at their Lake Erie Biological Field Station and currently works
part time for the U. S. D. A. Wildlife Research station in Sandusky, Ohio.
We are also proud to announce that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
& Division of Wildlife has declared Lisa the 2010 winner of the Wildlife
Conservation Award. Congratulations Lisa!
Lisa is the current Treasurer for the Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center.
Contact: LEIC_BSC@cros.net
Lisa Kutschbach-Brohl, the chair of the Lake Erie Islands Chapter of the Black
Swamp Conservancy and director of the Nature Camp Programs, has a B.S.
degree from the Ohio State University in Natural Resources
(Parks/Interpretation). She received her M.S. from OSU in environmental science
with a specialty in wetlands. She has an abundance of educational work
experience including work with the National Park service, as an instructor at the
Ohio State University Stone Laboratory (workshops and Local Flora college
courses) as well as being a certified Project WET, WILD, and Learning Tree
facilitator. Lisa has also worked as a biological technician with the U. S.
Geological Survey at their Lake Erie Biological Field Station and currently works
part time for the U. S. D. A. Wildlife Research station in Sandusky, Ohio.
We are also proud to announce that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
& Division of Wildlife has declared Lisa the 2010 winner of the Wildlife
Conservation Award. Congratulations Lisa!
Lisa is the current Treasurer for the Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center.
Contact: LEIC_BSC@cros.net
Susan Byrnes
Susan Byrnes has been a LEIC-BSC board member since spring 2008, as
well as a committee member of the LEINWC. Susan has been
photographing and capturing the beauty of the island since 1998. Her love
of photography began as a teen and was pursued further at Ohio University
as a photojournalism major. Susan and her family live on the island and own
and operate the Arbor Inn Bed & Breakfast, in addition to her photography
business Put-in-Bay Studios.
Susan Byrnes has been a LEIC-BSC board member since spring 2008, as
well as a committee member of the LEINWC. Susan has been
photographing and capturing the beauty of the island since 1998. Her love
of photography began as a teen and was pursued further at Ohio University
as a photojournalism major. Susan and her family live on the island and own
and operate the Arbor Inn Bed & Breakfast, in addition to her photography
business Put-in-Bay Studios.
Bob Russell
Retired from LTV Steel Corp. LEIC-BSC Board Member.
Retired from LTV Steel Corp. LEIC-BSC Board Member.
Doris Hubschman
Retired, Seasonal Resident. Member of LEIHS and LEIC-BSC.
Retired, Seasonal Resident. Member of LEIHS and LEIC-BSC.
Kristin Stanford
Kristin, AKA the Island Snakelady, has been the Recovery Plan Coordinator
for the federally threatened Lake Erie Watersnake since 2000. Portions of
her research have been showcased with Mike Rowe on Discovery Channel’s
Dirty Jobs. Kristin also teaches field herpetology at Ohio State University’s
Stone Lab and has supervised 18 Research Experience for Undergraduate
student projects on the islands. She has as B.S. and M.S. in Biology from
Northern Illinois University and is currently working on finishing up her PhD.
Kristin is currently a board member for LEIC-BSC, current Chair for
LEINWC, and a member of the Midwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptiles
Conservation Advisory Committee.
Kristin, AKA the Island Snakelady, has been the Recovery Plan Coordinator
for the federally threatened Lake Erie Watersnake since 2000. Portions of
her research have been showcased with Mike Rowe on Discovery Channel’s
Dirty Jobs. Kristin also teaches field herpetology at Ohio State University’s
Stone Lab and has supervised 18 Research Experience for Undergraduate
student projects on the islands. She has as B.S. and M.S. in Biology from
Northern Illinois University and is currently working on finishing up her PhD.
Kristin is currently a board member for LEIC-BSC, current Chair for
LEINWC, and a member of the Midwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptiles
Conservation Advisory Committee.
Susan Cooper
Director, Lake Erie Islands Historical Society (LEIHS).
Director, Lake Erie Islands Historical Society (LEIHS).
Maggie Beckford
Director, Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce. LEIHS Board Member.
Director, Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce. LEIHS Board Member.
Kendra Koehler
Editor and Manager of the Put-in-Bay Gazette. LEIHS Board Member.
Editor and Manager of the Put-in-Bay Gazette. LEIHS Board Member.
Tyler Lawson
Tyler received his B.S. in Biology from Baldwin-Wallace College and his M.S.
in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston where his thesis
focused on studying the impacts of a lethal fungus on a critically endangered tree
frog in El Salvador. He has also spent several summers taking classes and
performing research at Ohio State University’s Stone Lab. Thanks to funding
from an Ohio EPA OEEF grant, Tyler was hired in 2009 as the LEINWC’s
part-time Wildlife Program Coordinator. In addition to being “Wild Tyler” at
the nature center’s Wild Tuesday snake shows, Tyler also assists in grant
writing and maintaining the nature center and LEIC-BSC websites.
Contact: Tyler@LakeErieIslandsWildlife.com
Tyler received his B.S. in Biology from Baldwin-Wallace College and his M.S.
in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston where his thesis
focused on studying the impacts of a lethal fungus on a critically endangered tree
frog in El Salvador. He has also spent several summers taking classes and
performing research at Ohio State University’s Stone Lab. Thanks to funding
from an Ohio EPA OEEF grant, Tyler was hired in 2009 as the LEINWC’s
part-time Wildlife Program Coordinator. In addition to being “Wild Tyler” at
the nature center’s Wild Tuesday snake shows, Tyler also assists in grant
writing and maintaining the nature center and LEIC-BSC websites.
Contact: Tyler@LakeErieIslandsWildlife.com
Wildlife Program Coordinator
