Carlos is the Forestry Field Supervisor at Openlands, working with the Forestry team looking to make an impact on our apprentices and communities. He got his start in the green industry when he participated in a high school program called Calumet is my Back Yard, where he was first exposed to concepts of ecological restoration and conservation work. Through this program, he was able to participate in an environmental leadership internship at the Field Museum which helped fuel his passion for community engagement. Carlos then went on to join Greencorps in their workforce training program to continue working on their technical skills in the field doing ecological restoration work. With the skills learned, he was able to move on to a field assistant role with Friends of the Forest Preserves to help engage and mentor other crews working within Conservation Corps. These positions allowed him to see the value that programs like these have to offer, which ultimately led him to Openlands, where he hopes to help build, mold and introduce more people and community members to nature.
Contact Information:
- Email: cortega@openlands.org
