The Crew Leader will lead a crew of two and gain exposure to two major science and conservation initiatives within our chapter’s grassland ecosystems. TNC is working with partners to evaluate broad changes in condition of native grasslands in response to grazing and fire. The project is a collaborative effort in which multiple agencies and organizations have overlapping goals (TNC, Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, USFWS, etc.). Partners in this work are coordinating sampling to compare data and management practices across ownerships throughout the prairie region. With the assistance of the Crew Leader and team, TNC will revisit sites on which management has been implemented to measure the outcomes. The team will fill a critical role in helping our chapter to close the adaptive management loop in our grassland conservation work. The team will also spend time contributing to monitoring outcomes for the impacts of fire on habitat quality for the federally threatened Dakota skipper butterfly. For both of these projects, the Crew Leader and team will have the opportunity to travel to many of TNC’s preserves across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota experiencing first-hand the beauty of many high-quality native prairie landscapes.