Watershed Conservation Corps Staff
Caleb Sanders, Director of Conservation
After graduating with a bachelor’s in philosophy and religion from Drury University, Caleb pursued a graduate degree at the University of Chicago. While living in Chicago, Caleb worked for Friends of the Forest Preserves, managing teams of youth engaged in conservation projects within the inner-city. He has since worked with the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, Student Conservation Association, Audubon California, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Southern Sierra Research Station leading trail and ecological restoration projects in several states across the country. Joining the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks in the spring of 2017, Caleb seeks to continue to enact his passion for restoration through hands-on service to the land.
Adam Barton, Watershed Conservation Corps Project Manager
Adam grew up in north Springfield only minutes away from the Watershed Committee. He experienced the beauty of the Ozarks growing up through numerous hiking, hunting, and fishing expeditions. Adam joined the Watershed Committee in April 2019 as a technician for the Watershed Conservation Corps program to assist with ongoing projects. Adam currently manages the 70-acre native prairie restoration project at Bass Pro Shops world headquarters in Springfield. He is entering his final year of study at Missouri State University where he majors in wildlife management and conservation, while minoring in forestry and geospatial science. Adam loves working at the Watershed Committee because he gets to spend time outside, improve native habitat, and educate others about modern-day conservation practices. In his spare time, you can find Adam with a fiddle in his arms playing tune after tune. He competes in numerous fiddle contests around the state and is honored to carry on the tradition of bluegrass music in the Ozarks. Adam and his wife Brooke are lifelong Springfield residents and love being part of the community.
Grant Denbow, Local Projects Leader
Grant began working for the WCC after graduating from Missouri State in May 2021. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation & Management as well as Natural Resources with an emphasis in forestry. Grant grew up in Thayer, Missouri and has always had a passion for the outdoors. He spends his free time roaming the Ozarks on adventures with his wife and two dogs. He loves to hunt, fish and simply enjoy being outdoors.
Rodney Edwards, Senior Restoration Ecologist
Rodney grew up in central Missouri and discovered his love of the outdoors at an early age. While earning a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology from Missouri State University he developed a deep affection for the clear running streams and the vegetative diversity of the “hills n’ hollers” of the Missouri Ozarks. Rodneys career path has allowed him to develop an interdisciplinary approach of gaining experience while working in both the public and private sectors of resource management. He has worked for the National Park Service within Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, served as lead technician on an invasive plant management team, worked as an ISA Certified Arborist for a utility contractor, performed as burn boss leading a team for conducting controlled burns, been on western fires as a wildland firefighter, implemented various strategies for native vegetation and wildlife management in rangeland settings for private properties, and acquired various construction skills while filling in the gaps as a carpenter.
As a member of the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks team, Rodney looks forward to expanding his profound desire of preservation, protection, and restoration of natural communities, providing a service for both public use opportunities and private landowners as well as advancing the critical message of habitat conservation and restoration. Rodney has called the Springfield area his home for nearly 20 years. With his free time, Rodney enjoys trying to fool a fish on one of the many waters of the Ozarks and pursuing quality bird habitat on public land with his trusty sidekick Tig.
Trey Thompson, National Park Service Restoration Specialist
Trey began working with the Watershed Conservation Corps in June 2020 after graduating from Missouri State with a Bachelor’s in wildlife biology in May of the same year. Trey has resided in the Ozarks since 2009 after he moved from Illinois. He has always enjoyed being outdoors and likes to hike and trail run. Trey was first introduced to the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks in the Fall of 2019 when he began volunteering. It was during his time as a volunteer where he became familiar with numerous invasive plant species. Trey plans to continue working in the conservation field in the future. In his free time Trey enjoys reading and listening to music.
Jeremiah Cline, National Parks Conservation Specialist
Jerry grew up camping at Missouri State Parks and Army Corp Parks. Over time he began loving the outdoors and the importance of natural resources. In 2015 he began volunteering as camp hosts for the Army Corp of Engineers at Beaver Lake. After doing a couple rides-alongs with the park rangers he started to realize the importance of protecting plants and animals. It wasn’t until he worked as a seasonal at Roaring River State Park that he realized he wanted to do habitat restoration. Since then, he has worked with a total of 2 state parks in Missouri, and currently working with the WCC as well as Cardinal Valley Prairie Restoration project in Webb City MO. He has taken these skills and have started a riparian/marshland restoration project on his campus at Missouri Southern.N
Brendan Brothers, Conservation Specialist