Katie Beard
| Disciplines | Conservation, Ecology, Mammalogy, Natural Resource Mgmt, Herpetology |
|---|---|
| Regions | Arizona Uplands, Borderlands, Sky Islands, Tohono O’odham |
| Affiliation | Tohono O’odham Nation |
| kathryn.beard@tonation-nsn.gov | |
| https://bsky.app/profile/crotaluskatie.bsky.social | |
| About | I am the ecologist for the Tohono O’odham Nation, tasked with stewarding more than 2.8 million acres in the Sonoran Desert. In my role, I work to responsibly manage land use in ways that support both wildlife and the people who rely on these landscapes. This often means navigating the complex interactions between ecological health and human needs, including working with cattle operations as well as managing free-roaming horses and burros. My current research focuses on large and medium carnivores of the Baboquivari Mountains, where I study their ecology, movement, and role in maintaining desert ecosystem balance. At the same time, I’m building and uplifting a small but growing wildlife management program for the Nation—one that centers tribal priorities, cultural relationships to land, and long-term conservation of desert species. My work is guided by a commitment to the future of wildlife resources on Nation’s lands and supporting the next generation of researchers, land stewards, and tribal scientists who will continue to protect these landscapes. |
