Tyler Christensen leads conservation-focused research on rare wildlife for Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS). A lifelong Hopewell Valley resident, Tyler is deeply committed to protecting and stewarding the region’s natural lands. He previously served on the FoHVOS staff as Land Steward from 2015–2023, contributing to many of the organization’s stewardship and rare species monitoring programs. Tyler is currently a PhD candidate in Ecology & Evolution at Rutgers University, where his research examines how human-altered landscapes influence the ecology and conservation of imperiled snakes. He also serves as Research Coordinator for the Wild Bird Research Group, where he studies bird migration and habitat use, with a focus on owls.