EDF welcomes Ann M. Bartuska as Senior Contributing Scientist

(WASHINGTON, DC—Nov. 17, 2021)—Environmental Defense Fund is proud to welcome Ann M. Bartuska as a Senior Contributing Scientist to join a team dedicated to identifying pathways for atmospheric carbon removal and storage in forest and agricultural systems.

“Ann brings years of experience, knowledge, and insight to bear on solving difficult forestry and agriculture problems,” said Dr. Steven Hamburg, EDF’s Chief Scientist. “We are thrilled to draw on her expertise as we seek to unlock the potential of natural climate solutions in the United States.”

Dr. Bartuska brings extensive experience in forestry, agriculture and ecosystem services to EDF, where she will focus her part-time position on climate change mitigation through natural climate solutions with a specific focus on forest management and soil health practices.

Dr. Bartuska  has had a lengthy career of government service. She served as the Deputy Under Secretary for Research Education and Economics at the United States Department of Agriculture and as the agency’s Chief Scientist. Prior to her work at the USDA, she worked at the United States Forest Service, where, in 1999 she was named Director of Forest Management, the first woman and the first ecologist to hold the position. In addition, she also chaired the subcommittee on Global Change Research at the White House Office of Science and Technology in 2016.

She has also held positions in nonprofit sector and academia, including at North Carolina State University, where she managed research, development and assessment programs associated with acid rain and air pollution. She served as the executive director of the Nature Conservancy’s Invasive Species Initiative and as the Vice President of the Land, Water, and Nature Program at Resources for the Future (RFF), which she joined in 2017. Dr. Bartuska will remain a senior advisor at RFF, where she continues to focus her efforts land use, forestry and agriculture.

“Many of us have had the pleasure of collaborating with Ann over the years and are excited that she will be joining us here at EDF. It is a critical time for developing effective solutions for the forestry and agricultural sectors to help address climate change, and I’m delighted she will help inform our efforts in finding them,” Dr. Hamburg said.