Science Fellow Joins Ausable River Association and Lake Champlain Sea Grant

Carolyn Koestner of Saranac Lake has joined the staff of the Ausable River Association (AsRA). Her position as geographic information system (GIS) mapping and science communications fellow is made possible through a partnership with Lake Champlain Sea Grant. Earlier this year, Lake Champlain Sea Grant awarded AsRA a two-year competitive fellowship that provides $25,000 a year toward the hire of an early career professional. A generous donor gave the required match commitment to AsRA to make this new opportunity possible.

The fellowship focuses on communicating the challenges facing water resources in the Ausable River and Lake Champlain basins and the science-based work being done by AsRA and Lake Champlain Sea Grant to address these challenges. Lake Champlain Sea Grant will provide learning opportunities and additional training for Koestner to refine her efforts in the Ausable River watershed.

“I’m excited to join the AsRA team and continue working to protect the Adirondack Park and its surrounding landscapes,” said Koestner. “The added benefit of learning from and working side by side with Sea Grant staff, who are bringing additional resources to problems in the Ausable, is a great opportunity.”

A life-long New Yorker, Koestner fell in love with the Adirondacks on weekend trips while living in the Capital Region and moved to the Adirondacks full time in 2019. She holds a B.A. in environmental science from Skidmore College and has worked in a variety of roles that combine her passions for conservation and GIS, including serving as a River Steward for the Housatonic Valley Association and most recently serving as Strategic Conservation Planner with the Lake Placid Land Conservancy. Currently, Koestner serves as a community stakeholder and member of the Saranac Lake Climate Smart Community Task Force.

“We were lucky to find such a talented young professional, familiar with our watershed, right in our backyard,” said AsRA Executive Director, Kelley Tucker. “The potential for this position, the value it will add for our communities and for our partners throughout the Champlain basin, is boundless.”

“Lake Champlain Sea Grant is happy to help make this fellowship a successful learning and working experience for Carolyn,” said Kris Stepenuck, Associate Director for Lake Champlain Sea Grant. “We are confident that the environment and communities in the Ausable River and Lake Champlain basins will benefit from her work and the deepening of our partnership with the Ausable River Association.”