Kevin Cassel

Experience

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  The Peregrine Fund

  Jan 2006 - Jan 2007

  Northern Aplomado Falcon Technician

  ✔ Kept daily notes on behavior and development of fledging northern aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis septentrionalis, federally endangered) being released at hack sites within the species’ historical home range of far west Texas, and southern New Mexico and assisted with depredation mitigation.✔ Maintained working relationships with private landowners and government agencies to ensure project goals were achieved.✔ Prepared and submitted final reports summarizing hack site fledgling success and survival rates. Show less

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  Illinois Natural History Survy

  May 2009 - Apr 2010

  Wildlife Biologist Intern

  ✔ Managed and coordinated the daily trapping and inventory of an aquatic turtle assemblage in northeastern Illinois.✔ Attached, maintained, and monitored radio transmitters on hatchling, head-started, juvenile, and adult Blanding’s turtles. Conducted daily VHF telemetry recording turtle movement, home range size, habitat/vegetation selection, and year-round behavior.✔ Conducted experimental Blanding’s turtle nest depredation study and assisted with data analysis of home range, habitat selection, movement, and behavior using GIS platforms and standard statistics (e.g., MCP, KDE).✔ Prepared and submitted annual reports outlining project status, activity reports, and species inventories to the department of natural resources of Illinois and Wisconsin. Show less

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  Lake County Forest Preserve District

  Jun 2010 - May 2011

  Wildlife Monitoring Program Lead Technician

  ✔ Employed standard techniques to survey herptiles (live-traps, coverboards), breeding birds (timed point counts), mesocarnivores (remote cameras, scent stations), and small mammals (live-traps) on 55 forest preserves throughout 12,000 ha as part of a county-wide wildlife monitoring program.✔ Co-coordinated and managed Lake County’s Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii, state endangered) head-start program by collecting adult turtles for artificial egg deposition, growing-out hatchling turtles, planning hatchling releases, and protecting and monitoring wild nests.✔ Prepared annual reports summarizing the activities carried out through the head-start program and inventory reports of animals captured during the wildlife monitoring program.✔ Managed, coordinated, and supervised daily activities for 1-3 field technicians at any given time. Show less

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  Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

  Jul 2011 - Jun 2014

  Graduate Research Assistant

  ✔ As part of my thesis research, I planned, coordinated, and executed the sampling and analysis of a county-wide wildlife monitoring program using standard wildlife sampling techniques (e.g., remote cameras, live-traps, and point counts) across 55 properties encompassing 12,000 ha. ✔ Utilized GIS (e.g., civil, biological, hydrological, topographical, landcover, and land-use data) in conjunction with statistical models to answer research questions concerning species occurrence, species co-occurrence, spatial distribution changes, habitat relationships, and sampling techniques.✔ Generated final reports for the funding agency containing recommendations for land management, property purchasing strategies, and wildlife sampling protocols.✔ Managed, coordinated, and supervised daily activities for 1-3 field technicians at any given time as they collected data both independently and as a team.✔ Authored or co-authored 9 research presentations at local, state, national, or international professional conferences. Currently have 1 manuscript in review and 3 in preparation for publication in scientific peer-reviewed journals. Show less

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  N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

  Jun 2015 - Oct 2016

  Cooperative Upland-habitat Restoration & Enhancement (CURE) Technician

  ✔ Provide direct assistance to the Corporate CURE Technical Assistance Biologist in all matters concerning the CURE program which involved early-successional habitat management on corporately-owned agricultural properties. ✔ Managed early-successional, longleaf pine savanna, and native grassland habitats for native wildlife by controlling undesired herbaceous and woody plants through prescribed fire, timber stand improvements, native tree plantings, native grass plantings, herbicide applications, and mechanical extractions.✔ Independently conducted spring and fall bobwhite quail surveys, bobwhite quail radio-telemetry, mourning dove trapping and banding, summer turkey surveys, and migratory songbird surveys.✔ Assisted staff biologists and other regional natural resource managers to conduct workshops for the public on topics such as water quality, habitat management, cost share opportunities, and emerging wildlife issues within the Coastal Plain.✔ Utilized GIS to identify potential CURE enrollees using tax records, create management, quantify useable wildlife habitat, and document management practices. Show less

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  CZR Incorporated

  Oct 2016 - Dec 2016

  Wetland Mitigation Monitoring Technician

  ✔ Assisted with long-term mixed bottomland hardwood wetland mitigation site monitoring efforts for PCS Phosphate Company, Inc.✔ Determined survivorship of trees and shrubs within monitoring and nuisance species plots.✔ Recorded field data, proofed field data, and entered data to software.

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  New Hanover County Arboretum

  Jan 2017 - now

  Grounds Maintenance Supervisor

  ✔ Provide safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing demonstration gardens for all county residents and visitors to learn from and enjoy.✔ Create and maintain healthy and diverse tree and plant collections through best management practices and integrated pest management.