- Terry Doss, NJ SEA
February 2025
Who do you work for and what is your current position? I work for the State of New Jersey, within the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, serving as the Co-Director for the Meadowlands Research and Restoration Institute. I lead efforts to preserve, protect and restore the wetlands and other habitats located in the Hackensack Meadowlands. The favorite part of my job is any day that I get to go out on the water. I much prefer a beautiful sunny day with warm temperatures, but even in winter I love the idea that we are out on the water when few else are out there. Each time we head out, there is an air of anticipation – you never know what new or interesting thing we are going to see in the tidal marshes that line the Hackensack River, but there is always something. Also, experiencing the quiet and solitude of nature, in the chaotic din of the NY-NJ metropolitan area with planes, trains and automobiles whizzing by, is just magical. I think one of my biggest professional accomplishments was being able to survive and thrive as a working mother. I’m so proud of my grown sons, and hope they are as proud of me as I am of them. We were always in this together, and I loved bringing them out to the field – my older son was out in the field for a wetland delineation at three months of age and, flash forward many years, my younger son was out planting floating wetlands with me when he was home for college just a few years ago. I never tried to separate my career from my home life, I never thought there was enough time in the day for that luxury, so we had to be in it together. I love tidal wetlands, they are like poetry in perpetual motion. They are where the land meets the sea, ever changing, known but yet unknown, settled yet shifting. They allow for expansive views – of the grasses, the sea, the sky, the wildlife. But because they are both land and sea, they are so often misunderstood, mistreated, maligned. I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I knew I liked working outdoors and that I wanted to work and live near the water. I graduated from U of Delaware with a degree in Agricultural Sciences with a focus on Natural Resource Economics, but wasn’t sure where to go with that. A few years later, I went back to Delaware to work on a Masters in Marine Policy, combining my interests in the water, the outdoors and economics. While there, I became interested in the valuation of wetlands, and from there dove deep into the science of wetlands. Every job I had, starting with the National Ocean Service at NOAA and then moving into private consulting, there were always opportunities to get more involved with wetlands and I jumped at every one of them. To expand my knowledge, I took wetland field courses from Environmental Concern and the Continuing Education Program at Rutgers, which allowed me to study under some of the giants in the wetland science field, and I joined and became active in scientific organizations like Society of Wetland Scientists and the Society for Ecological Restoration. The more people I met and spoke with, the more my opportunities expanded. Look for opportunities that you think you will enjoy to expand your knowledge and your circle of contacts. Go to conferences, and if there are volunteer activities, sign up. Join non-profit organizations and get involved. Become a member of different scientific societies and assist with meetings, field trips, raising funds, …. There is no magic bullet as to what will stick, so try everything and see what gives you experience while also making you happy. I believe that I have been a member of NAWM since the early 2000s. In 2001, I attended a meeting on behalf of the Society of Wetland Scientists and met up with Jeanne Christie who was there on behalf of ASWM (now NAWM) and we started talking about connecting the two organizations in a more meaningful way. Eventually, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by both groups to coordinate and collaborate, and I acted as the liaison between the two groups for a while. (Not sure if this MOU is still active.) Even though I was not a “state wetland manager” until 2018, I was able to attend a number of the annual meetings and other events along the way. I am most grateful for all of the webinars offered by NAWM. While the in-person meetings are the best way to keep in touch and learn, the constancy of the webinars keeps me in touch with what is going on around the nation on a more day-to-day basis. For example, after the Sackett decision, the discussions on what happens next were especially helpful for us here in the Meadowlands, because even though NJ has assumed jurisdiction for the wetlands of the state, that did not include the wetlands of the Meadowlands. It was helpful hearing from others about the different aspects, experiences and possible actions. My favorite memory was my first NAWM meeting at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. I assume this was sometime in the early 2000s. I had no idea what to expect, and at first it seemed like most meetings. But then, I went to the bonfire. It was an incredible experience and a great way to bring everyone together. Nothing specific, just an all-around great vibe and a great opportunity to relax with many like-minded wetland scientists. Thank you to Terry for sharing your experiences and being a part of NAWM!
What is your favorite part of your job?
What is one of your biggest professional accomplishments?
All these years later, it is amazing to head out to my first tidal wetland restoration site that our team worked on 25 years ago and see how it is flourishing. I remember bringing the boys out there before, during and after the restoration work. Now, 25 years later, the site is amazing – for the first time this year, we heard saltmarsh sparrows out there. I’m proud of that!
What is your favorite wetland, or type of wetland, or wetland species? Why?
Working in the Meadowlands really drives this home – all the abuses that have been thrown at the tidal wetlands along the Hackensack River over the past two hundred years, and that continue to be thrown at them. Yet they persist, they thrive, they are resilient, and they continue to provide habitat, protection, recreational opportunities. After giving a presentation on the Meadowlands’ marshes a few years ago at a MAWWG meeting, someone came up to me and said, “wow, the Meadowlands’ wetlands are really bad ass!” And I couldn’t agree more, they are bad ass and that is why they are my favorite.
How did you end up working in wetlands?
What advice do you have for someone interested in getting started in wetlands work?
How long have you been a member of NAWM? How have you participated in NAWM (e.g., attended webinars, contributed to project workgroups, attended annual meeting, etc.)?
What is your favorite benefit of being a member of NAWM?
What is your favorite NAWM memory?
My second favorite memory was sitting with Jon Kusler on a porch somewhere at some point in time after a long day of meetings, and listening to him talk about his vision for wetland science into the future. Being able to have discussions with great minds like Jon Kusler and Jeanne Christie were, for me, amazing opportunities that were only made available through NAWM.
If you would like to nominate a member for a future Member Spotlight, please reach out to Portia Osborne, NAWM Assistant Director, at portia@nawm.org.