As the Steward of Natural Areas, I am involved in every aspect of the Nature Preserve and other campus natural areas. I oversee activities in and maintenance of the campus natural areas. I assist in developing, coordinating, and/or supporting educational programs, research, and academic use in the natural areas. Most of all, I promote the respectable use and appreciation of the campus natural areas and nature in general. I coordinate volunteers in trail work, guided hikes, and nature education.

Visit the Nature Preserve website - http://naturepreserve.binghamton.edu/

To be on the Friends of the Nature Preserve e-mail list, send an e-mail to naturepr@binghamton.edu.

Binghamton University
Graduate Teaching Assistant                          

Bio 251: Human Anatomy and Physiology (Fall 2002)
Bio 252: Human Anatomy and Physiology (Spring 2002)
Bio 115: Introductory Biology Laboratory (Fall 2001)
Bio 114: The Biology of Organisms and Populations (Spring 2001)
Envi 101: Men and Women and the Environment (Fall 2000)

**Coming Soon to a projector screen near you! **

Presentations on the Nature Preserve, Bats, Wolverines, Amphibians, and much more.

• Horvath, D.  (2004).  Wolverine Conservation.  Sierra Club Meeting.
• Horvath, D.  (2004).  The Greater Yellowstone Wolverine Study.  Weekly Science Presentations, Biology Department, SUNY Binghamton.
• Horvath, D. (2003).  The Effect of Increased Refuge Density on Mobility and Condition Mediated Competition in Plethodon cinereus. Thesis Defense Public Presentation.
• Horvath, D. (2003).  Climbing Behavior in salamanders.  Annual Biology Symposium, SUNY Binghamton.
• Horvath, D. (2002).  Ecology and captive care of salamanders and newts.  Community Outreach, Susquehanna Day School, Binghamton.

Bats, North Carolina:  2005-2006
Field Technician under Joy O’Keefe at Clemson University.  
Netting, tracking, audio monitoring bats. 
Vegetation surveys and snake wrangling.

Caspian Terns, Oregon: 2004
Colony Monitor/Field Tech under Dr. Daniel Roby.
Cooperative Fisheries and WildlifeUnit at Oregon State University and Dr. Ken Collins
Monitoring reproductive success, disturbance, mortality of Caspian tern colony, East Sand Island, Columbia River.
Wrote/Updated Field Manual.   

Wolverines, Montana: 2003-2006
Field Assistant under Robert and Kris Inman, Wildlife Conservation Society, Montana. 
Checked/maintained traps.  Vet assistant in handling anesthetized wolverines (monitoring life signs, assisting surgery), collected data on wolverine tracks and DNA collection.  

Graduate Research
Created behavioral data base of 300+ species of Caribbean fish in order to explore variation in shy-bold characteristics.  Assisted graduate students in the research of behavioral responses of salamanders to predator cues (snake odor) in lab and field trials, capture of small mammals, censusing amphibians, and observing crow behavior.

Red Backed Salamanders: New York   2001-2003
Master’s thesis: Demonstrated that increased refuge density did not increase soil surface movement of red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus.  Provided evidence of vertical movement to and from soil surface and underground retreats as more common than horizontal soil surface mobility in the red-backed salamander which in turn affects competition.  Involved intense nighttime fieldwork.

Field assistant  2000
Under Dr. Richard Wyman, E. N. Huyck Preserve, Renseleareville, NY. 
Collected and summarized data on the effect of red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus, on forest decomposition rates, data on abiotic changes of various forest types, and collected/identified detritus invertebrates. 

House Wrens: New York  1999
Field Assistant 
Under Dr. Isabella Scheiber, SUNY Albany.                                            
Observed nesting behavior, identified by banding, and collected biological data (wing measurements, blood samples, etc.) of house wrens, Troglodytes aedon, for a study on reproductive success in response to ectoparasites.              

Researcher/Media Production:  1999
Intern for Audubon International Sanctuary System (AISS). Researched, created, edited, and illustrated information pamphlets on local wildlife publishedfor AISS members.