Maggie Pugh
Team Member at the United Spirit Nature Network (USNN), dedicated to advancing holistic environmental stewardship through the integration of Indigenous knowledge, community collaboration, and sustainable practices.
habitat and conservation advisor
Maggie Pugh
Maggie is a skilled senior level ecologist with more than 20 years specializing in analyzing and interpreting ecosystems, habitats, and wildlife species. Her breadth of experience spans private sector ecological consulting, education for post-secondary/ professional technical students, and supervisory / mentoring roles to foster collaboration and partnership.
An experienced project manager in the private sector, she has led and worked on large, multi-disciplinary teams that included ongoing partnerships with government, regulators, environmental non-government organisations, industry, and indigenous groups, to execute short and long-term projects related to protection of sensitive natural environment features (environmental protection) and wildlife considerations.
Her work with Species at Risk includes Woodland Caribou, Myotis bats, Tri-coloured bat, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Barn Swallow, Bank Swallow, Canada Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Chimney Swift, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Eastern Wood-peewee, Bald Eagle, Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-breasted Chat, Black Redhorse, Redside Dace, Silver Shiner, Lake Sturgeon, Pugnose Shiner, Pugnose minnow, Monarch, Mottled Duskywing, Yellow-banded Bumblebee, Jefferson Salamander, Blanding’s Turtle, Snapping Turtle, Fowler’s Toad, Eastern Massassauga, Butternut, Black Ash, American Chestnut, Dwarf Lake Iris, Eastern Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Prairie Fringed-Orchid, Hill’s Thistle, Black Ask, and Kentucky Coffee-tree. Natural Heritage System Policy Review under the Ontario Provincial Policy Statement is another area of expertise Maggie developed during her time as a private sector Ecologist. As the Ecology Technical Lead, Maggie worked with multi-disciplinary teams of planners, engineers, hydrologists, and archaeologists to review existing policy and recommend updates, evaluate natural environment features to recommend areas of environmental protection, and provide policy wording to regulate development activities for a variety of regional municipalities, Urban and Rural Cities, as well as Townships.
An experienced leader of post-secondary and professional technical education, Maggie has a passion for sharing knowledge and throughout her career has sought opportunities work with private sector and traditional educational institutions. As an Instructor with Natural Resources Training Group, she develops and delivers dynamic, engaging classes to indigenous groups, government regulators, and private sector ecologists in topics including Species at Risk, Wetland Assessment, Vegetation Assessment, and Wildlife Mitigation during Construction. As a sessional instructor at Lakehead University (Thunder Bay, Ontario) and Algoma University (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario), she designed and developed courses in a wide range of topics including Northern Culture and Climate Change, Vertebrate Form and Function, Diversity of Vascular Plants, Biochemistry and Chemistry. As teaching assistant for laboratory courses at the University of Waterloo she delivered laboratory instruction for Vertebrate Zoology, Diversity of Flowering Plants, Applied Microbiology, and Fundamentals of Microbiology.
As a formal mentor in private sector consulting, Maggie guided 2-3 junior staff per year through career and skills goal setting, with quarterly check ins to assess progress toward career goals, work related challenges, and skills development. This formal mentorship role included yearly evaluations and constructive feedback on performance and guidance for skills improvement. As an informal mentor she would provide guidance to junior staff for both routine and complicated project related issues including habitat assessment, permitting considerations, and wildlife habitat analysis and interpretation. As an Instructor with Natural Resources Training Group, she provides career mentoring and guidance to current and former students including indigenous groups, government regulators, and private sector ecologists.
Our Mission
Our Vision
Through Nature Conservation and Indigenous Collaboration
These core pillars define our approach, blending community leadership, sustainability, Indigenous wisdom, and advocacy to protect and preserve our natural world.
