We are excited to announce our new Stewardship Director, Ryan Mola!
Ryan is an avid outdoorsman who resides in Dennysville, Maine. His love for wildlife began while fishing as a child, and has continued to build through years of hunting, hiking, and camping. Originally from Andover, Massachusetts, Ryan first traveled to Washington County for college. Here, he completed his Biology degree with a Wildlife Concentration from the University of Maine at Machias in 2020. Ryan first began working outdoors with the Lincoln Conservation Department in Massachusetts, where he created trails and helped manage multiple properties for a summer. Following his time in Lincoln, he spent 2 years working as a wildland firefighter in South Idaho, including a season with Twin Falls Helitack. Ryan is now back to living in Downeast Maine and is excited to conserve the land with DCC.
We asked Ryan, “Why is Downeast Maine the place where you want to put down roots?”
I have had the opportunity to work in and travel to a wide variety of locations around the United States. Some of the most memorable places I have been able to work at (besides in New England) include Alaska, Wyoming, and Idaho. I enjoy observing the diverse ecosystems throughout the country, in addition to creating lasting friendships along the way. Washington County Maine has so much to offer, and in my opinion, no other place in the country can match it.
The local community here is filled with like-minded outdoorsmen like me. The culture of the area makes it easy to make friends and find activities to enjoy with one another. I am fortunate to have made so many friends at UMM, and I continue to partake in my favorite hobbies with them.
In addition, the landscapes and wildlife here are hard to beat. The cliffs and spruce-fir forests along the Bold Coast are among the most beautiful places I’ve seen. I enjoy spending time in these forests because they are unique and full of different types of life. While outdoors, one of my favorite things to experience is the smell of the fir trees while hunting or hiking. It just feels right to me.
Another often overlooked and remarkable quality of this area is the night skies. The northern coast of Maine has the darkest night skies I have seen. The abundance of stars lights up the sky so bright that you could almost read a book beneath them. When the conditions are right, you may even see the northern lights.
Downeast Maine has abundant wildlife, friendly supportive people, and is heavily forested and remote. I am excited to settle in here for the long run.
What influenced your decision to join our team at DCC?
It’s been my goal to conserve wildlife in Washington County since I began college. I am passionate about conservation, building trails, studying wildlife, and managing ecosystems. When I saw that DCC was in need of a Stewardship Director, I knew it would be the perfect position for me to express those work interests. With experiences gained from other jobs, I believe I can positively influence DCC as a whole.
Conservation is important work. It is a tool which allows local wildlife and the community to grow together. I hope that people many years from now will have the same experience hiking, fishing, hunting, and birdwatching as I do today. In addition, I hope that the wilderness in the local area stays abundant and lively. I am excited to be a part of the DCC team, and look forward to working hard as the Stewardship Director!
What is your favorite Outdoor Activity?
Fishing is my favorite outdoor activity. Many people would probably say that I am obsessed with it, and they are probably right. When I was a kid, I always struggled to catch fish. One day, I vividly remember going out with my dad and catching a bunch. I caught more this day than I did my whole life, and just like that, my passion for fishing began. I asked people questions, did research, and fished as much as I could. Being about 10 years old, I didn’t really have many other responsibilities anyways.
I eventually started learning about the different species of fish (both fresh and saltwater) and set goals to catch them. The more I went out to different lakes, ponds, rivers, and bays, the more I came to appreciate the outdoors. I not only started to enjoy fishing for catching fish, but also for being in the woods surrounded by wildlife. To this day I continue to fish whenever I possibly can. I enjoy catching a variety of fish from haddock to catfish, and my favorite spot is on the Merrimack River in Massachusetts. There is a wide variety to catch there, and I most commonly fish the bottom for the carp and catfish.