We are pleased to welcome Riley Telkamp as the newest Stewardship Coordinator for the Aiken Land Conservancy.
Riley is already a familiar face at ALC, having served as our Conservation Intern before being selected for this role. During her internship, she supported ALC’s stewardship and outreach efforts, participated in prescribed burns within longleaf pine ecosystems, met with landowners, and gained hands-on experience in land management.
Riley brings experience in field research, ecological monitoring, laboratory work, and applied conservation. She has held research-focused roles with Augusta University, Tennessee Technological University, and Iowa State University. Her work has included aquatic and avian habitat assessments, ecological data collection and analysis, species monitoring, and conservation-focused research across diverse ecosystems. Most recently, Riley worked as a Research Associate at Augusta University, where she managed laboratory operations, maintained detailed research records, supported long-term scientific studies, and contributed to experimental planning.
Riley discovered her passion for environmental science while studying at Iowa State University and working in Dr. Grace Wilkinson’s limnology laboratory. Studying the microscopic organisms that live in wetlands deepened her curiosity about the natural world, while Dr. Wilkinson’s mentorship shaped Riley’s appreciation for how strong leadership, clear communication, and scientific excellence work together to create effective teams and meaningful results.
Riley earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Iowa State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration through Augusta University. For Riley, science and business are closely connected: effective conservation requires technical knowledge, thoughtful planning, clear communication, collaboration, and careful decisions about resources and priorities. Her combination of scientific training, field experience, business education, and growing familiarity with ALC’s conservation work makes her well prepared to support the stewardship of protected lands across Aiken County and the surrounding region.
The Stewardship Coordinator role is essential to ALC’s mission. As our region continues to experience growth and development pressure, protecting land is only one part of our work. ALC must also ensure that protected properties are monitored, cared for, and managed so their conservation values endure over time. Through regular stewardship, habitat restoration, landowner communication, and close attention to the condition of protected properties, ALC helps safeguard land, trees, water resources, historic properties, and quality of life for future generations throughout Aiken and the surrounding areas.
Riley’s experience in ecological research, field monitoring, conservation outreach, and land stewardship will strengthen ALC’s ability to care for the places we protect.
Please join us in welcoming Riley to her new role with the Aiken Land Conservancy.