Marleyla (Mar) Wiltz ’25 is a Forestry major in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at ̽̽. Her path to the Forestry program was somewhat circuitous; Mar was admitted to ̽̽ to start in the fall of 2021 as a Political Science major. On a whim, the summer before starting college Mar took a seasonal job in her hometown of Bloomington, Indiana at a local ecological restoration firm, Eco Logic, LLC. The experience set Mar on a new path – after two months of working outside every day to mitigate invasive species spread, she discovered a passion for working with plants.
Upon arriving at ̽̽ for her first year, Mar switched her major to Plant Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her first year of classes further solidified her interest in environmental conservation and as she continued to explore the available majors at ̽̽ she decided to transfer into the Forestry program in the Rubenstein School with a concentration in Ecological Restoration.
The summer before her sophomore year, Mar returned to Eco Logic for a seasonal job. She jumped into the work with enthusiasm, embracing the long hours, hard field days, and stunning scenery of Monroe County, IN.
While beautiful, the region, like so many, is facing a pervasive problem with invasive species. Ecological restoration work is vital for the preservation of native flora and fauna. The team of Eco Logic technicians uses a range of methods to remove invasives, including applying herbicides, mechanical brushcutting, and planting native species to outcompete and replace the invasive ones.
“We get to go all over the county, I’ve seen some really remote and unique worksites,” said Mar.
One significant project that the firm has been working on for over ten years is at the CRANE Naval base. The team has been battling the invasive Callery Pear, also known as Bradford Pear. During her time working at this site, Mar had an unexpected encounter with a rare native species, the Goldenseal.
“It was heartening to see Goldenseal return to this site after many years of combatting invasive plant species,” said Mar. “It helped me to realize how important this work is and further fueled my passion for ecological restoration.”
Another worksite that Mar became very familiar with during her second summer was a combined sewer overflow constructed wetland in Washington, IN. At this location, wastewater is filtered through a natural wetland ecosystem to improve water quality. Mar and her colleagues planted various native sedges, rushes, and milkweed to enhance the filtration process. The work was strenuous and unpleasant in temperatures that exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit. But the experience also yielded a rewarding rare duck sighting.
“It’s ‘type two fun’ sometimes,” explained Mar. “It can be really challenging and uncomfortable, but it’s gratifying to have worked hard and to see wildlife and native plant species thriving as a result.”
Mar's academic studies in the Rubenstein School complemented her hands-on experience. Courses like Dendrology with Luben Dimov and Ecology, Ecosystems & Environment with Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal included detailed sections aligned with her interest in invasive species.
Inspired by her summer work experiences, Mar decided to base her capstone project in a 6-credit Independent Study class on the importance of invasive species mitigation. She designed an environmental education course with the idea that it could be used to train new restoration technicians joining the Eco Logic team. The online course comprised five modules, each ending with a quiz, and a final exam to conclude the entire course.
In the summer of 2023, Mar returned to Eco Logic for a third time, bringing knowledge from her courses and her capstone project with her. She spent most of her time working on sites within Hoosier National Forest, which provided insight into a wide variety of land management strategies and the issues that can affect them.
“My favorite site from this past summer was Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest, the last old-growth forest of its size in Indiana,” said Mar. “I spent several weeks there treating Asiatic bittersweet. Within it, there was a great blue heron rookery and I saw more eastern box turtles than I ever have in my life.”
Mar also spent long hours knee-deep in stagnant wetland waters planting a variety of native plants where she endured the horror of leeches, but also discovered the joy of seeing many frog species.
“It has been really valuable to return to this work year over year,” said Mar. “By building on my experience from past summers I’m able to enter each work season with more confidence and more responsibility. It’s been a big growth opportunity for me.”
Mar has also developed strong professional relationships with passionate colleagues, which will serve her well as she continues to work in the field of ecological restoration. She has earned a certification in pesticide application through the Office of the Indiana State Chemist and when she presented the training course to her supervisors at Eco Logic, they expressed an interest in putting it to use with incoming technicians. Mar plans to work remotely through the spring to aid in the establishment and maintenance of the e-course for Eco Logic to use in the onboarding process for their upcoming field season.
For Mar, finding the right program began with experiential learning before she even arrived at ̽̽. Her time in the field, paired with her academic studies, have given her a professional network and hard-earned skills to bring into her early career.
In the summer of 2024 Mar plans to stay in Vermont to take ‘Forest Ecosystem Analysis,’ a Rubenstein School field course offered during the summer semester.
“I am excited to take on a new immersive learning experience,” said Mar. “It will be a great way to discover more about ecosystem functions here in Vermont.”