MDF Employee Spotlight!

Who:

Casey Nordine, Habitat Partnership Coordinator for the Great Plains

I am an avid outdoorsman and conservationist who grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This region and our way of life instilled in me a deep appreciation and passion for wildlife and wild places. I consider myself fortunate to work, recreate, and raise a family along the boundary of the American West and the Great Plains. Whether I’m managing a habitat project, fighting fires with the local VFD, or pursuing big game, I’m driven by a desire to leave things better than I found them—ensuring that my daughter and future generations can enjoy the same opportunities and landscapes that I have.

What:

As MDF’s Habitat Partnership Coordinator in the Great Plains, I work at a variety of levels to facilitate positive conservation outcomes on the eastern side of mule deer range. Given that privately owned lands compose over 90% of the Great Plains, I spend much of my time developing relationships and habitat conservation plans with the ranchers and land managers that steward these landscapes. I collaborate closely with state and federal agencies, as well as partnering conservation organizations, to provide landowners with the technical and financial assistance needed to maintain both productive working lands and quality wildlife habitat. In the Great Plains, MDF implements a variety of habitat improvement practices, including wildlife-friendly fencing, water developments, conifer removal from grasslands, and invasive species management.

How:

Working within a ten-state region presents unique challenges and opportunities, as no two states are exactly alike. I collaborate with dozens of partners across the region to identify landowners, projects, and programs in each state that align with MDF’s mission and promote sustainable land management. None of this work would be possible without a network of like-minded partners, volunteers, and fellow MDF staff. This spirit of collaboration led to the launch of MDF’s Great Plains Initiative in the fall of 2024. Thanks to generous contributions such as the $250,000 award from the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund we can achieve meaningful conservation outcomes for mule deer in the Great Plains. In my role I act as a conduit linking identified habitat and management needs with effective solutions that deliver lasting benefits for the land, its wildlife, and the people who steward them.

Why:

I think of myself as a proactive realist. When there are threats facing the landscapes and wildlife I enjoy, I view it as a call to action. If nothing is done, these places and animals will be lost or destined to become a flicker of what they once were. However, by finding common ground and working together with conservation-minded partners, there is so much good work to be done. I’m inspired daily by people who put the needs of deer, cattle herds, and communities above their own, and I believe that through collaboration, perseverance, and some sweat equity, we can ensure a bright future for these places and the wildlife that rely on them.

Great Job Casey!

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