Richie joins Heartland after spending over three years immersed in conservation work in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, where he served as the Lead Conservation Technician at the North Lakeland Discovery Center. During his time there, he played a key role in spearheading their Professional Development Program for two consecutive summers. His work included invasive species monitoring and management, aquatic species surveys, and significant contributions to the Discovery Center’s highly regarded freshwater lake level research.