About us...
Krista Espelien is the owner and lead naturalist for Environs. She has professional experience in both fresh and saltwater systems including conservation, coral reef restoration, and invasive plant and animal surveys. She is also on the MN DNR's Surveyors of Aquatic Plants list. Krista has abundant experience diving in a variety of environments and has been a professional scuba diver and instructor for over 16 years with well over 5,000 hours spent underwater. She is a strong advocate and educator of the environment, marine ecosystem, and Minnesota's waterbodies.
Education:
Hamline University, St. Paul, MN: Master's of Natural Sciences & Environmental Education
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Relevant Scuba Certifications:
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PADI IDC Staff instructor
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Technical Diver
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Rescue Diver
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Search & Recovery Diver
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Emergency First Responder instructor
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Emergency O2 Provider instructor
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Project Aware Conservation instructor
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Underwater Naturalist instructor
Keegan Lund is a biologist with over 15 years of experience in invasive species control in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. He has taken the lead in experimenting with new control methods for aquatic invasive species (AIS) and written numerous management plans that have produced successful outcomes. He is a published co-author in several papers concerning both Eurasian watermilfoil and zebra mussel control. In addition, he has been involved with multiple habitat restoration projects in oak woodlands, prairies, lakeshores, streams, and submersed aquatic plant communities. He is a sought-out expert in the areas of curly-leaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, and zebra mussel management. He is also a certified PADI scuba diver.
Education:
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN: Master's of Conservation Biology
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