Katie Siech
Photo by Talia Long Photography
Seich seining for fish
Growing the Team: Katie Siech HeartLands Conservancy is pleased to announce the addition of Katie Siech to our dynamic team. Katie will serve as HLC’s Environmental Programs Associate, working with team members to accomplish a variety of organizational goals related to the many facets of our environmental and resilient communities initiatives, including watershed planning, education outreach, environmental planning, and more. Katie fell in love with nature at a young age. As a child, she spent most of her time outdoors and her family went camping along the Meramec River often. It wasn’t until she stumbled upon a flyer at St. Louis Community College, however, that the trajectory of her life changed from aspiring artist to environmental advocate. “I was walking through the hall one day and I noticed a flyer for the Missouri Master Naturalist Program. I had taken some conservation biology courses already, so the idea of learning more about our local environment piqued my interest.” She decided to participate in the program, and it ignited her passion for seeing conservation as a human construct.
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quality that makes her a perfect fit to work for an organization such as HeartLands Conservancy.
In addition, Katie is also an experimental chef. Please enjoy one of her recent adventures below.
Katie has a Master of Science in Environmental Science from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Maryville University. She serves as a Volunteer Naturalist for the Missouri Department of Conservation and as a Water Quality Monitor for the Stream Team Organization.
I was inspired by a recipe video (Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company https:// pin.it/1ENcbpP) our colleague sent us, Laura Lyon, and decided it was a great experiment to try with my four year old!
In her spare time, Katie loves kayaking and is a self-described “river rat.” She is a mother of two, and thoroughly enjoys her “chaotic” garden that provides native habitat for pollinators throughout the year. She can be reached at: Katie Siech Environmental Programs Associate katie.siech@heartlandsconservancy.org 618-566-4451 ext 16
We cut off our sunflower heads that were mostly done blooming, where the seeds were still white and soft but the flower’s petals were beginning to drop off. We removed all the petals and ‘flower bits’ from the middle, and I saved them for pickling with our veggies. From here, we coated the flower seeds in olive oil and my favorite grilling spices (for this we used garlic, salt and pico fruta - a seasoning blend with chili peppers and lemon peel). We grilled the sunflower seed side down for approximately ten minutes, until the seeds were soft and grill marks appeared. Afterwards, I coated the sunflower in sundried tomatoes and fresh cut basil from our herb garden. It made for the perfect side dish to a summer BBQ, and was loved by all, including the kids! For a fresh way to enjoy sunflowers, I highly recommend them grilled. - Katie Siech
“It [conservation ecology] isn’t just about science. There is a very human element that comes with ecology. People benefit both mentally and physically by being surrounded in nature and that aspect is something I am very passionate about.” Through the Missouri Master Naturalist Program Katie was introduced to AmeriCorps, which furthered her interest in serving people. Throughout a variety of roles in her career, she has tied her love of service and nature together, a 14
Siech’s Grilled Sunflower Heads
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Thank you for supporting HeartLands Conservancy and Poag Sand Prairie between June 1 and August 20, 2020
Thank You to Our Sponsors to Date
Emily Amizich Ken and Linda Aud Belleville Optometry, Ltd Bitsy Askew Dr. Susan Barker Scott and Shelli Bement* Chris Benda Mary Biernot Kerry and Susan Brethauer* Beth Browne Arnold L Busse* Cahokia Mound Chapter, NSDAR Tom and Eloise Cohoon Fay Churovich Sharon Douglas Diane Drake Charity Davis-Woodard Richard Essner* Sandy and Don Eversole Mike and Joann Fricke* Grace Garin* Sharon Geil Kay Gilroy Jane Ann Haines Julie Heberer* Kaitlyn Hinson J. F. Electric Inc.* Daniel Jansen Judith Joy Junior Service Club of St. Clair County* Marty and Linda Kemper* Denny and Jo Kirkham* Cheryl Kowalczyk* Chris Krusa Ronda Latina* Mary Laurent* Kerl Luly Virginia McCall Representative Charles Meier* Kathy Meier* Louis and Carol Mitchell
Bur Oak
Edward Moll Valerie Mollet* Jane Morris Robert C. and Katherine Nelson* Jessica Orelt Libby E Oxenham Joel Pesapane* William Rable and Libby Reuter* E. William Reichert III* Leslie Rice John I and Denise D Schaberg Glen and Linda Schuetz* Ned Siegel John Sloan PhD St. Louis Community Foundation Corrine Stone Studio Archaeos* Kristin Thompson John and Lynne Troyan* Jeff Tupper Utilitra Rebecca Valadez Carole Valencia Richard and Deborah Vandevord in honor of Robert Lyday Robert and Mary Vandevord* Village of Shiloh Village of Smithton Southern Illinois Audubon Society Megan Vogt Mary Von Tobel Walker and Williams P.C.* Walmart Ed and Kathi Weilbacher* Brian and Jaynie Wells Laura and William Wheeler Katie Wiesehan Mark Wiesehan Melissa Wolfe Roberta Wood * White Oak Society
Post Oak
Red Oak
Pin Oak
Belleville Optometry, Ltd. Clinton County SWCD Farm Credit Illinois Farnsworth Group J. F. Electric Inc. Madison County SWCD Pufalt-Pauley Insurance Agency, Inc. Walker and Williams P.C.
Sapling
City of Edwardsville Madison Co Planning & Development Randolph County SWCD St. Clair County Farm Bureau Utilitra Village of Godfrey Village of Swansea
Meanderings 2020 Fall
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Commonfields Summer 2020
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