Landan VanCleve
Saint Cloud
Summary
Natural resource management professional prepared for impactful contributions. Proven track record in conservation strategies and regulatory compliance, ensuring efficient resource utilization. Known for effective team collaboration and adaptability to dynamic project demands, showcasing skills in environmental assessments and stakeholder engagement.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Compliance Specialist, GS-09 Perm
U.S.D.A NRCS
01.2019 - Current
- Provides direct technical assistance to internal and external customers
- Attained / maintain required Job Approval Authority (JAA) to delineate wetlands, service appeals, request for review, and 569 whistle blower complaints
- Conducts wetland determinations and oversees implementation of wetland creation, restoration, and enhancement
- Completed 962 preliminary wetland determinations: 451 highly erodible land determinations, as well as (31) 569 investigations in accordance with policy
- Delineated 97,327 acres to date, including 1,921 Wetlands
- Served as a temporary acting Wetland Conservationist while staff exercised extended leave
- Conducted prelim JAA reviews and mentoring to new wetland staff
- Provides assistance to producers and field offices on wetland conservation activities associated with the Swampbuster provisions of the Food Security Act
- Delivers the highest level of customer service to participants ensuring eligibility for Farm Bill Programs
- Knowledge of hydric soil profiles, hydrological and vegetative aspects of wetlands
- Able to identify plant species and assign them into perspective hydrological zones
- Collects data used for issuing wetland determinations, appeals, and other related activity
- Conducts onsite investigations for wetland determinations and wetland violations
- Independently services requests for reconsideration of determinations, 31 to date
- Maintains liaison with other NRCS specialists regarding wetland related activities
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with partners such as Conservation Districts, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S Army Corps of Engineers
- Conducts training and professional mentor-ship to new wetland staff
- Work individually and as a member of a team to develop and implement ways to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of the products and services provided to internal and external customers
- Assist with the field office safety program, as well as complies with all safety requirements outlined in state and federal policy
- Completes Highly Erodible Land Determinations in accordance with policy
- Utilizes Geospatial tools to create maps, conduct remote sensing, and issue products to clients
- Contributed to centralized GIS portal and ArcGIS database, correctly inputting data on new job sites and revising data on changing conditions
- Trained colleagues on GIS software usage, boosting team productivity and fostering a collaborative work environment
Fish Technician, GS-07 Term
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
11.2015 - 01.2019
- Operates and maintains government vehicle, equipment, and purchase card
- Utilize a variety of sampling techniques to monitor native and non-native fish populations in support of our current AIS monitoring program in use by Ashland FWCO
- Collect water samples using highly standardized procedures ensuring sample quality for environmental genetic markers
- Annually certified by FWS to conduct eDNA monitoring
- Analyze Marina Monitoring and Aquatic Invasive Species Benthic Invertebrate samples for non-native species within a laboratory setting
- Remove otolith structures from a variety of fish species, Lake Sturgeon, Herring, White Bass, Crappie, and Lake Trout
- Worked in cooperation with commercial fisheries to conduct onsite otolith removal in support of creating a population age model
- Utilize a variety of techniques to age fish, including otolith crack/burn and maxilla sectioning
- Operate and maintain all vehicles, vessels, and ATV's of the FWS fleet ensuring safety and mission readiness
- Conduct bottom trawl efforts for the early detection of invasive fish species
- Supervised field crews during Aquatic Invasive Species sampling, including fyke netting, gill netting, electrofishing, and trawling
- Prepared purchase request and the main contact for new large vessel contract and design
- Assisted with lake trout sampling for genetics and morphology study at Isle Royale, MI
- Conducted Coaster Brook Trout assessment and participated in a gill lice parasite study at Isle Royale, MI
- Supervised nighttime boat electrofishing surveys for Coaster Brook Trout on Lake Superior
- Participated in backpack shocking for Brook Trout stream population assessments
- Surveyed culverts for fish passage assessment and modeling, assessing pass ability, population connectivity, and presence of non-native niche species
- Re-plumbed the inside of the mobile hatchery for Lake Sturgeon, eliminating several siphoning and backflow issues enabling improved fish husbandry
- Rebuilt damaged multi-stage water pumps in support of streamside rearing
- Conducted annual gill net surveys on the Bad River for Lake Sturgeon
- Provide technical expertise on implementation of acoustic tracking equipment in lotic and lentic environments
- Custom fabricate/weld hydrophone stands, anchors, and equipment
- Collected Lake Sturgeon gametes for propagation at our Mobile Hatchery
- Complete all vessel maintenance, improvements, and winterization for a fleet of nine boats
- Maintain maintenance logs, records, and schedules for vehicles, vessels, ATVs, UTV's, generators
- Handle new equipment contracting, acquisition, installation
- Organize and catalog all equipment for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office
- Utilize a warehouse style inventory system including forklift operation
Biological Science Technician, GS-05 Pathways
U.S. Geological Survey
05.2014 - 11.2015
- Collect fisheries related data including telemetry, habitat, and population dynamics in a field environment
- Spearheaded a 2 year study on Asian Carp telemetry for the USGS on the Mississippi River
- Supervised field crews collecting water for stable isotope otolith analyzation
- Supervised crews gillnetting and tagging Asian Carp with acoustic tags on the Mississippi River
- Processed Asian Carp specimens, removing significant structures such as gut tubes, otoliths, and post cletheral bones
- Designed, welded, and implemented hydrophone mounts that would endure the rigors of overwintering in the Mississippi River
- Designed telemetry mounts for various vessels and vehicles enabling crews to track hundreds of miles of river weekly
- Maintained government vehicles and equipment
- Used a government purchase card and maintained purchase authority.
- Processed larva fish samples screening for Silver/Bighead Carp
Fire Support Sergeant, E-05
U.S. Army
01.2003 - 01.2011
- 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC
- Developed and led training programs in preparation for combat; served as a custodian for classified documents
- Expert in land navigation, map reading, and terrain association
- Conducted counter mortar and fire support missions in combat
- Led dismounted fire team during infantry battle drills and combat
- Conducted Psychological operations and Civil Affairs atmospherics while in combat
- Conducted humanitarian operations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina
- Endured the rigors of deployment to the Middle East totaling 23 months in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom
- Conducted Airborne Operations monthly maintaining 'jump status' for 4 years
- Served as company key control NCO, as well as Repairs & Utilities NCO
Education
B.S. - Biological Science/Zoology
Western Illinois University
01.2014
Skills
- Soil science
- Invasive species management
- Remote sensing
- Natural resource management
- Field sampling techniques
- Equipment maintenance
- Environmental assessment
- Attention to detail
- Time management
- Environmental compliance
- Wetland Identification
- Wetland Delineation
Certifications
- Wetland ID for Food Security Act Purposes Phase 3, NRCS, 2022
- Hydric Soils for Wetland Delineation, NRCS, 2022
- Wetland ID for Food Security Act Phase 1 & 2, NRCS, 2019
- ATV/UTV off road vehicle training, U.S. FWS, 10/2017
- First Aid and CPR, American Safety & Health Institute, 02/2016
- Principles and Techniques of Electrofishing (Online), U.S. FWS, 03/2016
- Introduction to larval fish taxonomy, USGS, 12/2015
- Motorboat Operation Certification Course, U.S. Department of Interior, USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center, 05/2014
- Honorable Discharge, U.S. Army, 06/2008
- Honorable Discharge, U.S. Army, 01/2011
Coursework
- Advanced Ecological Techniques
- Mississippi River Ecology
- Conservation of Biological Diversity
- Genetics
- Entomology
- Animal Reproduction
- Livestock Feeding
- Plant and Animal Interaction
- Biology
- Micro Biology
- Beef Prod & MGT
- Livestock Management
- Animal Physiology
- Vertebrate Embryology
Timeline
Compliance Specialist, GS-09 Perm
U.S.D.A NRCS
01.2019 - Current
Fish Technician, GS-07 Term
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
11.2015 - 01.2019
Biological Science Technician, GS-05 Pathways
U.S. Geological Survey
05.2014 - 11.2015
Fire Support Sergeant, E-05
U.S. Army
01.2003 - 01.2011
B.S. - Biological Science/Zoology
Western Illinois University
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