Image
Press Release
Press Release: New Alliance Leads Groundbreaking Effort to Protect New York’s Wildlife
Pace University’s Animal Policy Project partners with the New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council as increased threats to wildlife prompt alliance of “nature’s first responders”
Habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, disease—these are just some of the threats to wildlife targeted by a groundbreaking collaboration of the New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (NYSWRC) and Pace University’s Animal Policy Project (APP).
By uniting a university renowned for environmental policy innovation with the nation’s oldest state-level wildlife rehabilitation organization, the NYSWRC-Pace Alliance (NPA) will generate data, educate communities, and shape policies that safeguard wildlife.
“Wildlife rehabilitators are nature’s first responders,” said Michelle Land, clinical professor and director of the Animal Policy Project at Pace University. “They see the threats to New York’s wild animals every day, often working out of their own homes. We will gather that expertise through a statewide network that serves as a much-needed conduit between science and policy.”
According to Kelly Martin, president of the New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, “Wildlife rehabilitation is most effective when backed by strong, science-based policies that address the root causes of wildlife distress. The NYSWRC-Pace Alliance will ensure that rehabilitators’ expertise informs policy decisions and create a future where both wild animals and those who care for them are better supported.”
“Every day, wildlife rehabilitators see firsthand the devastating impacts of human activities on New York’s wild animals,” said Suzie Gilbert, the Alliance’s program coordinator. “By bringing together rehabilitators and policy professionals, we can educate the public as well as improve policies on issues such as pesticide use, infrastructure design, exploitation of wild animals, and response strategies for emerging wildlife diseases.”
The Alliance, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), will leverage an expert network of rehabilitators, advocates, and policymakers to advance and improve New York State wildlife protection and care. Seed funding for the NPA has been generously provided by Pace University’s Gale Epstein Center for Technology, Policy and the Environment.
Key to the Alliance’s success will be collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and its Wildlife Health Program partner, Cornell University.
For more information about the NYSWRC-Pace Alliance, please contact:
Michelle Land
Email: mland@pace.edu
Kelly Martin
Email: kmartink@midtel.net
Suzie Gilbert
Email: info@protectnywildlife.org.
About Pace University
Since 1906, Pace University has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, Pace offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, Sands College of Performing Arts, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.
About New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council
The New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (NYSWRC) promotes the professionalism of licensed wildlife rehabilitators through field support, educational services, and technical information. It works with government agencies, disseminates educational material and information to New York State residents, and promotes the conservation of wildlife, their habitats, and other natural resources. Members consist of licensed wildlife rehabilitators and assistants, veterinarians, and other wildlife professionals.
About the Animal Policy Project
The Animal Policy Project (APP) is a program of the Suburban Biodiversity Conservation Center, housed in the Environmental Studies and Science Department of Dyson College of Arts and Sciences at Pace University. Its mission is to safeguard animals—domestic, captive, and wild—through policy design and reform, relying on interdisciplinary research combining science, policy, and ethics. With a workforce of faculty, undergraduate, graduate and law students interested in advancing animal welfare, the APP helps partner organizations realize their policy innovation goals.
About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences
Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College, offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.
More Press Releases
Press Release
The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is proud to announce the expansion of the leadership team of its Advocacy Program with the appointment of Jared J. Hatcliffe, Esq., as Associate Director of Advocacy.
Press Release
Pace University Career Services on Friday hosted one of its signature events: the Fall 2025 Job and Internship Career Fair. Hundreds of students—including many from Pace’s campus in Lower Manhattan—attended the fair, which connected them with more than 100 top employers across a wide range of industries.
Press Release
Beginning this fall, Pace University’s Sands College of Performing Arts and Deaf West Theatre, the Tony-honored company known for pioneering bilingual productions in American Sign Language (ASL) and English, are launching a groundbreaking artist-in-residence program focused on bridging performance and accessibility in musical theater training.