Amy E. Long

I am a restoration ecologist and environmental educator and have taught in the Environmental Sciences Department since 2013. I love having the opportunity to teach topics that I am passionate about, like food availability, water conservation, and stewardship, especially in a place that makes each cause so readily apparent. I have a small research program examining the restoration potential of closed landfills in the Eastern US, and local restoration and monitoring projects in coastal dune, estuarine and riverine marsh communities. I teach numerous courses at UNCW, ranging from introductory, non-major courses like Intro to Environmental Science (EVS 195) and Global Environmental Issues (EVS 205), to mid- and upper level major’s courses including Analysis of Science Communication (EVS 321), Literature of the Environment (EVS 421), Sustainability and the Environment – Iceland’s renewable energy and ecology (EVS 431), Environmental Conservation (EVS 445), and Restoration Ecology (EVS 469). In addition to teaching four courses every semester, I serve on multiple undergraduate Honor’s committees, supervise Directed Independent Studies students, and am actively engaged in UNCW and community outreach.

Education

B.S. in Ecology and Evolution, University of Pittsburgh
M.S. in Ecology and Evolution, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
C.E.E. in Environmental Education, NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs

Specialization in Teaching

Lecturers in the EVS Department teach four courses (or equivalents) every semester. As a result, since 2013, I teach and created a wide range of courses. I was hired as the Conservation Ecology Lecturer to develop EVS 445 - Environmental Conservation. I have since added EVS 469/569, Restoration Ecology, to our curriculum after working with several students on DIS projects and TGIF grants centered around restoration. It was clear that this discipline was missing from UNCW offerings and the growing demand from students allowed for it's permanent addition to the fall course offerings in EVS . Two specialized seminar courses I created, EVS 321 and EVS 421, tie my degree training with my teaching certification. Science communication is critically important, to unbiasedly inform regulators, policymakers, land managers, and literally anyone age 1 to 100! The NC Environmental Education certification program taught me to teach science, not to advocate for special interests. It is something I strive to model and teach to students through courses like Analysis of Science Communication (EVS 321) and Literature of the Environment (EVS 421). I co-created the recently added EVS 295 (Career Preparation and Networking in EVS) course after serving as our Capstone Senior Seminar Coordinator for eight years. This course prepares newly declared or transferred majors for their applied learning, introducing them to regional professionals in the field and preparing resumes. Lastly, I offer EVS 431 - Sustainability and the Environment – Iceland’s renewable energy and ecology, a two-week travel and applied-learning course.

Research Interests

While receiving my masters, I worked as the lab and field coordinator for Dr. Steven Handel at the Center for Urban Restoration Ecology, a joint collaboration with Brooklyn Botanic Garden, NYC’s Greenbelt Native Plant Center, and Rutgers. Highlights of the work I was involved with include; winning landscape designs for the Beijing Olympic Village, an EPA EIS concerning mountaintop removal mining impacts on forest regeneration, the EIS for Sebonack Golf Club, and woodland restoration experiments at Fresh Kills Landfill that would lead to the development of Freshkills Park, New York City’s newest park - three times the size of Central Park. These projects have influenced my work here at UNCW where I am now focused on coastal resilience and restoration of critical ecosystems like our beach dunes and riverine brackish marshes. Current projects along the Cape Fear River include long-term monitoring of Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson's stabilized shoreline and the Living with Waters project at the USS North Carolina where I'm leading students on the vegetation monitoring aspect of the project.

As an certified Environmental Educator, other projects of mine and my students involve science communication and programming in our area schools. As the former Environmental Education Program Coordinator for New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District, I maintain relationships with our area schools and collaborate with colleagues across UNCW colleges to continue supporting our students and teachers in science curriculum.

Professional Service

I serve as the faculty mentor for Epsilon Eta, a national Honors Fraternity for environmental science majors. I review articles and textbook material for editors and publishers.

Community Engagement

Two highlighted projects I am most proud of are TreeFest and supporting the Brick-by-Brick program.

I have been on the Wilmington TreeFest Committee since 2011 and have served as Chairperson since 2019. As a restoration ecologist, I lead the selection of trees and native bunchgrasses for the events and organize their purchase and preparation for customers. The 2025 event will be the 27th annual event. Since I joined in 2011, any remaining plants from the event are donated to UNCW for various restoration initiatives we have on campus with students or have also been donated to Plastic Ocean Projects Trees4Trash initiative and The Coastal Land Trust for longleaf pine restoration project at Piney Ridge Nature Preserve.

Brick-by-Brick campus hosts (June 2022, 2023, 2024): Working with my spouse in BIO, and UNCW student power couple, Morgan and Marcus Fragale, we host 10 to 16 boys on campus for a day-long science tour on main and CMS campus. The Fragales started Brick-by-Brick “for 4th-5th grade boys, to provide positive male role models, mentoring and a support system as they navigate the school year and beyond. Built to foster relationships, teach social-emotional skills, and to build confidence and self-esteem in students, the program works to apply those skills in settings such as career path exploration as the group is focused on expanding one's knowledge and experiences. Together, the group spends an hour a week discussing and participating in educational, physical and social-emotional activities.”

Honors & Awards

Lecturer of the Year, 2016 and 2023
Applied Learning Pivot Award 2021
Telly Award winner - silver for general non-broadcast category for our Fort Fisher Barrier Island Ecology virtual field trip made for EVSL 195