Interview| Kelsey Bockelman- MSUE/ Clean Boats, Clean Waters
Q. Who are you and what organization do you work for and how long have you been there/ in conservation jobs?
A. Hi! My name is Kelsey Bockelman and I am Aquatic Invasive Species educator for MSU Extension. I'm based in Grand Rapids, MI but work statewide with all different groups and partners. I've been with MSU Extension since 2021 but have been working in conservation and biology jobs since undergraduate! Some of my conservation jobs have ranged from invasive species removal across Alaska to working with lake sturgeon here in Michigan. I have always loved working in biology and conservation theme jobs but have appreciated lately combining it with my communication and art skills in this position with MSU Extension.
Q. What are some typical duties you do at your job?
Q. Some projects going on currently/ what is your favorite project?
A. A current favorite project I'm working on is with a local brewery in Allendale, MI, on an outreach project together to spread awareness of invasive species in new ways. With the brewery we created an "invasive species beer" together called Aquatic Ales Series - which now has two beers under this umbrella, Red Swamp Ale and the Starry Stonewort Juicy IPA. These beers have AIS promo, events with games and education booths, and a promotional can with awareness on it. We are able to reach new communities through this and have had a great response to this new avenue for outreach. We hope to make two more next year! (Picture attached)
Q. Are there any projects where volunteers from the community are welcome to help?
A. While we don't have a ton of citizen science programs in our realm, we do encourage local communities to see if they are interested in hosting their own boat washes with our crews! We also love to see new groups applying to our mini grant program that opens in the fall.
Q. Are there any challenges to your work and if so what are they?
A. A large challenge that I face in this role and is helping to change and improve boater attitude's on wanting to take the daily steps while boating of Clean, Drain, Dry, and Dispose. A lot of boaters mention that they either don't have the information or the tools to do so, so our job here at Clean Boats, Clean Waters is to spread that awareness and help remove barriers for them to do so! One example of this has been creating what we call the, AIS decontamination sign, which is an affordable boat launch sign with current regulations, inspection points, and a place for boaters to use tools to clean their boats. (picture attached).
Q. What inspires you to work in conservation?
A. Growing up in northern Michigan, I was lucky enough to live on one of the largest inland lakes and spent most of childhood into my adult life on the lake or in the woods behind my house. As most scientists would say, I have loved it ever since and it only felt natural to go into a career in it. After completing my Master's in Alaska, I realized that while enjoyed the analysis and research portions of conservation, I also thoroughly enjoyed communicating the wonders of science and our natural world to others and slowly fell into the communication and outreach field. I've been working here now for a few years and have loved the work immensely and watching others learn and grow to love our natural resources.
Q. What do you look forward to in the future for natural resources?
A. In the future, I do look forward to seeing more of the public be invested and care for our natural resources to ensure its health for future generations. I have had the pleasure of working with younger generations through the crews I hire for the mobile boat wash and every year they give me hope for our future scientists and outreach workers to continue the work in our stead.
Want to learn more about this program? Here is the link!
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