Short Bio:
Michelle is originally from New Jersey and received a BA degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Chicago in 1999. She has worked for the National Park Service since 2001, beginning at Gateway National Recreation Area, NY, where she monitored breeding activities of listed shorebird populations. After moving west, she worked at Capitol Reef National Park, UT, on rare plant inventory and monitoring projects and vegetation mapping from 2002-5. Michelle is currently a third year graduate student in the Environmental Sciences and Policy program at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. Her research focuses on testing methods to establish native plants along the Virgin River at Zion National Park, UT, where currently fire-threatening exotic grasses dominate. Michelle enjoys traveling to new places, cooking, hiking, cross-country skiing, playing with the resident cat and dog, catching up with friends, eating sushi and reading classic novels.

• Conservation biology, National Park Service Management, Restoration ecology, Invasive Weed Management

• Michelle has mainly worked for the National Park Service since 2001. She began at Gateway NRA in NY, monitoring breeding shorebirds. She then moved to canyon country to Capitol Reef NP in UT, working on vegetation mapping and surveying and monitoring rare plants. Michelle currently works at Zion NP in UT studying restoration methods along riparian and upland habitats.

• Clark, D.J., T.O. Clark and M. Dela Cruz. 2006 Status Report on Erigeron maguirei. Submitted to US Fish and Wildlife Service.

• Testing Revegetation Methods Following Exotic Grass Removal to Improve Restoration Planning at Zion National Park. 9^th Biennial Conference of Research on the Colorado Plateau. November 2007. Flagstaff, AZ.

• Traveling, cooking, hiking, cross-country skiing, playing with the resident cat and dog, catching up with friends, eating sushi and reading classic novels.

• De la Cruz CV