Adarelis Diz is an ecologist with the US Geological Survey who has over 16 years of experience in her field.
Q: What is your job title and affiliation?
A: I am an Ecologist with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). I collect monthly hydrological data collection, assist with annual vegetation surveys, and measure sediment elevations annually at a subset of USGS Coastal Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) stations.
Q: How did you get started in this field and how long have you been doing this type of work?
A: I began as an Intern for USGS while in college at the University of Louisiana in 2005. I started to identify plants and assist with sediment elevation readings. Now, I have 16 years of experience in this field.
Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you enjoy the most.
A: My favorite part of my job is being outdoors.
Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you believe is the most impactful.
A: I believe the monitoring data collected is crucial in determining a need for coastal restoration projects in a specific area.
Q: What do you think is the best/easiest way people can help restore or preserve wetlands?
A: The best way people can help is by volunteering with local agencies or organizations. The easiest way people can do their part is by properly disposing of chemicals and waste.
Q: In your opinion why is coastal restoration in Louisiana important? For folks out of state, why is Louisiana’s coastal restoration work important for the nation?
A: In my opinion, it is important to preserve and/or restore Louisiana through coastal restoration because the land and water is utilized by both animals and humans for food, survival, etc. Louisiana is a large supplier of seafood human consumption.
Across the nation, people benefit from the food, oil, and gas industry in addition to the recreational and agricultural use of the land. A major part of oil refineries are located in Louisiana which processes millions of barrels of oil for the United States.
Q: What is your favorite recreational activity to do in the wetlands? OR Which wetland inhabitant (bird, fish, plant, etc) do you think best represents you?
A. I enjoy catching fish, crabs, and shrimp in addition to cooking and eating my catch with friends. An alligator probably represents me best since I can snap when I’m hangry.
CWPPRA 