Alice Voulfson

Snowy Plover Apprentice

As a Western Snowy Plover Conservation Technician, I focus on Western Snowy Plover conservation and reproductive success, the sandy habitats they rely on, and collaborating with local communities.

I graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in March of 2024 with a BS in Environmental Science. During my undergraduate studies, I worked in a wildlife toxicology lab studying heavy metal concentrations and feeding ecology of scavenging and predator birds, where I developed my thesis Measuring Lead Exposure in Migratory Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) of North America. Alongside this, I helped monitor peregrine falcon populations and breeding pairs in order to band chicks post-hatch with the Predatory Bird Research Group. Upon graduating, I began working as a Western Snowy Plover Conservation Apprentice on Point Blue’s Monterey Bay team, where I participated in field monitoring of nesting snowy plovers and developing an independent research project on understanding how breeding snowy plover habitat changes through time.

My passion for this field stems from a deep love of animals and the outdoors, coupled with a curiosity about how practical, adaptive, and inclusive management strategies can improve the relationships between wildlife, communities, and the environment.

I am based out of Santa Cruz, CA, but can be found working all along Monterey Bay. In my free time, you can find me biking, dancing, crafting, in a body of water, or cooking and baking!

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