Lauren D. Pharr, PhD 𓅪𓅫

A new book on Inclusive Nature is coming soon from Johns Hopkins University Press (@hopkinspress ). This collaborative book will feature perspectives and narratives from academics, scientists, and nature enthusiasts who all share a goal to amplify both the historical and present day challenges of marginalized and historically excluded individuals in the natural sciences, and who professionally work and recreate in the outdoors. The book will include a foreword by Joseph Drew Lanham (@wildandincolor ), MacArthur Fellow and author of The Home Place, Sparrow Envy, and Joy is the Justice We Give Ourselves, and edited by Lauren D. Pharr (@ldpharr ), avian ecologist, award-winning science communicator, and the 2023 Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award Recipient for Young Conservationist of the Year. • I’m excited for the strong and knowledgeable team I have brought together — we can’t wait to bring this new, exciting, and educational work to you. Stay tuned. ✨ • Alt Text: A graphic showing wildflowers and trees in the foreground, mountain ranges in the middle ground, and a blue sky in the background. The words “a new book on inclusive nature” is on the upper half of the graphic in bold and all caps, and the words “is coming” is underneath not in bold and in all caps. The logo for Johns Hopkins University Press is on the lower half of the graphic with the words “Johns Hopkins University Press” placed in the middle ground.

Finally, when someone asks for a decent looking headshot I can provide them with one. 😘 And “The Girl with the #RCWoodpecker Tattoo” (done by the AMAZING @boxingoctopustattoos ) sounds like a great book if I’m being honest… Thank you so much @sarajoystudio for capturing these wonderful angles and for working with me! ❤️

“This is Fame Bro.” - Kanye West. I don’t share these to boast, but instead, to remind myself of the impact I am having on others, all around, at different stages in their careers. Sixth grade me would have never thought. Undergrad me would have never thought. That I, the girl who cried all throughout her first few years in undergrad trying to find her path and purpose in the world, would be a leader to others. As we head into the new year, and as times are getting challenging throughout my current journey, I’ll look back on these messages and stories from those whom I have inspired. I hope to inspire many more. “This is Fame Bro.” This is MY fame. This is MY impact. Serving as that role model, that light, for others.

We’re back where it all began. An undergrad who was once so unsure of her career path, has now become faculty. I am beyond thrilled to return to @wingateuniv , my alma mater that helped shape me, and to give back and share my love and passion for all things wild. 🪶 And what makes this even more special: I get to step into the position once held by my research advisor, and be surrounded by so many people here who saw my potential and believed I could do great things. A full-circle moment, and I’m excited for you all to join me in this new chapter. I am home. 🐶💙💛 #OneDog #LabOfDifferenceMaking #WingateUniv • 📸: @gingyhopper 💕 🩶 💇🏽‍♀️Pop of Color : @angeljhairartistry 💕

Today marked the launch of our very first community birding program in partnership with Raleigh Parks and other incredible collaborators, and what a powerful reminder of why this work matters. I want to share a story about someone we met today, Don. Don hadn’t signed up for the program. In fact, he didn’t even know what the day had in store. He was already sitting under the picnic shelter when we arrived to set up. A young Black man who had simply been dropped off at the park for the day. Curious and open, he decided to join a group of strangers doing something he had never tried before: birding. And something clicked. Through birds, Don saw the world a little differently today. He asked questions, stayed engaged, and embraced the experience in a way that reminded all of us why creating accessible, welcoming spaces in the outdoors is so important. By the end of the program, we were able to gift Don a field guide and a pair of binoculars, and his gratitude was something you could feel. He couldn’t wait to get home and keep exploring, to keep learning, to keep looking up. There is still so much good in this world. Today, we created a space where someone felt safe, included, and seen. And in doing so, we may have helped spark a lifelong connection to nature. Birding is more than just birds—it’s joy, it’s curiosity, and it’s community. Let’s continue to welcome everyone into the outdoors. You never know whose life you might change in a single day.

Did you know the Nags Head Woods Preserve is home to over 150 bird species, all tucked inside a rare maritime forest on the Outer Banks? 🌲🐦 From towering dunes to shaded wetlands, this “hidden gem” offers a completely different birding experience than the nearby beaches where warblers, woodpeckers, and hawks thrive in a surprisingly lush coastal habitat. Step off the sand and into the woods in my story for @nature_org ’s Cool Green Science Blog. (🔗 - linktree in bio to read more)

Not April Fools! Let’s Celebrate — we did it! 🎉🎊 Inclusive Nature is now officially in the hands of @hopkinspress as of today! I want to extend a huge thank you to all of my (42) co-authors for their tremendous work on this project, as this was truly a collective effort, and it shows! We did it and I’m incredibly proud of this work and can’t wait to see it out in the world. 🌎 📚🌳

A nice hike in Weymouth Woods, and a beautiful day for pines and peckers. 🌲❤️🤍🖤

🚨New Paper Alert 🚨 🦈 New research on shark conservation: A study using the Implicit Association Test found that most people hold unconscious negative attitudes toward sharks, even across different demographic groups. Surprisingly, people with college degrees showed even stronger implicit negativity. These hidden biases can undermine conservation—highlighting the need for outreach that addresses emotions and fear, not just facts. The work was led by @catherine_lerose , students (most alumni now), and faculty at @ncstatecnr . Follow the 🔗 (linktree) in my Bio to read.

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Pridelands in NYC! 🦁🏙️🧡

🚨New Paper Alert🚨 • Chapter 1 of my dissertation has officially been published in @amornith ’s Ornithological Applications! This study digs into reproductive patterns in the threatened Red-cockaded Woodpecker and tests whether increasing population density after recovery explains rising partial brood loss. Spoiler: density alone doesn’t seem to be the driver — which means there’s more to uncover about what’s shaping nesting success. 🐦🌲 • 🔗 A PDF of the article is available now, and the full online version will be live soon once the journal site updates. DOI will stay the same and it’s ready to be cited! Visit the linktree in my bio to get the link. • Grateful for the long-term data, amazing collaborators, and the ecosystems that keep teaching us new things. Go Team #RCWoodpecker ❤️🤍🖤 • 📸: (1) Gary Flanagan, (2) Lauren D. Pharr

A peaceful, snowy birthday — exactly what my heart needed. ❄️ Thank you to everyone who remembered me and sent birthday wishes, no matter where we may have left off in life. I truly appreciate you. I’m staying present with the day and all the love I felt.