ABOUT

Symbiotic Ecological Associates— Symbeco— was founded to uphold the principles of scientific and ecological integrity, collaboration, and innovative understanding about the intersectionality of doing environmental work in this moment. Any associate with Symbeco comes with experience, enthusiasm, and passion and wants to express this through doing quality work and building relationships. Whether a project provides a snapshot in time or delves into long term change and trends, Symbeco recognizes that what we do now affects what is to come just as we are affected by our collective past. Research, Restoration, Education, and Collaboration are tools towards the symbiotic ecology of which we dream.

Jessie Buckner Owner|Founder|Ecologist|Educator

Jessie is a certified Ecologist with 10+ years of experience working in non-profits, NGOs, education, and the private sector. Her experience includes:

• Ecological Restoration

• Natural Resource Management

• Master Planning

• Research

• Teaching

• Citizen Science and Educational Programming

• Social Justice and DEIJ Implementation

• GIS Mapping and Spatial Analysis

• Grant Writing and Coordination

• Permitting

• Mitigation Banking

Jessie can wear the multitude of hats required in the multidisciplinary field of Ecology and has worked from a Field Technician to a Science Specialist to a Project Manager and has been involved from inception to completion of many projects. This means that her expertise includes writing proposals, applying for grants, creating and adhering to scope/schedule/budgets, and general organizational skills. As a scientist with an MS in Applied Geosciences from the University of Pennsylvania and her professional experience, Jessie can oversee and perform setting up experimental design, performing field surveys, compiling and analyzing data, and reporting.

Jessie works on projects from upland to aquatic, tidal and non-tidal, and salt to fresh with a special interest in tidal estuarine ecology. She built a unique niche as an Urban Ecologist working in Philadelphia, PA and the Northeast corridor from New York City, NY through Trenton, NJ down to Wilmington, DE.

Jessie believes that success in the current landscape requires systemic thinking that addresses the place of humans within the natural world— how they impact and how they are impacted— and the evolving issues related to Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, and Natural Resource Equity. All solutions involve science, integrity, and creativity. Every space, every client, every community is unique and a strong emphasis on specific understanding leads to appropriate actionable products.

Other Associates Ecologists|Wildlife Biologists|Social Scientists

While Symbeco is primarily one Ecologist at the moment, the network of accessible associates include experts in the field including ornithologists, entomologists, herpetologists, social scientists, and more. If Jessie needs assistance, she can reach onto a deep bench to get what’s needed to complete the best project.