Meet Our Team: Alison Ludwig

We are excited to continue introducing our 2026 interns and staff who play an important role on our team and in our work!

This week, meet Alison Ludwig, our AORC Conservation Easement Monitor & Administrator, whose passion for conservation, public service, and lifelong learning has already made a meaningful impact at Black Swamp Conservancy. Alison is currently serving as one of our two full-time AORC service members and will be wrapping up her service term in August.

Alison has earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and a Master of Science in Agronomy. Her path into the environmental field began with a simple guiding principle: she wanted a career that wouldn’t keep her behind a desk. Seeing environmental science students seining a river during a college class was all it took to turn her toward a path outdoors.

That passion has grown through her interest in fire ecology and the role prescribed fire plays in managing healthy landscapes. As environmental changes reshape habitats and landscapes, she hopes to help landowners and conservation professionals safely and effectively steward the land. Looking ahead, she plans to attend law school with the goal of helping shape policies that preserve land management tools while protecting natural resources and the communities that depend on them.

At Black Swamp Conservancy, Alison has enjoyed learning about the conservation easement process, experiencing what it takes to run a nonprofit, and connecting with the people who make conservation possible. What drew her to the Conservancy was the staff. “They work incredibly hard and are great at what they do,” she said. “For a small organization, they truly punch above their weight class.”

One of her favorite parts of the internship has been getting to know the landowners who partner with Black Swamp Conservancy.

“I’ve been delighted to see how dedicated our easement landowners are to protecting habitat and stewarding the lands they own, whether it’s forests, prairies, or farmland,” she shared. “Getting to know the landowners and hearing their stories has been one of the most rewarding parts of this experience. It strikes me as a rare thing to have a nonprofit organization so perfectly aligned with the community it serves.”

When she’s away from the office, Alison enjoys reading, writing, watercolor painting, yoga, meditation, and exploring nature with friends. She’s a self-proclaimed movie buff who loves seeing live musicals and plays whenever she can. Although she has less time these days, she also enjoys card, tabletop, and video games.

Whether she’s learning about conservation easements, gaining experience in the nonprofit world, or preparing for a future career in environmental law, Alison approaches every opportunity with curiosity and a desire for learning.

We are thankful to have had Alison on our team this summer and look forward to the impact she will have in the future. We are excited to support her as she continues pursuing her goals of protecting natural resources, serving communities, and making a lasting difference through conservation.

Thank you for serving with us this year, Alison!