Will Cleveland spent four years studying environmental science at Lake Forest College. Now the 2026 graduate spends his mornings pulling invasive species and planting natives across prairies, woodlands, and shorelines at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.

Cleveland works as an ecological restoration technician in the Garden's Stewardship and Ecology of Natural Areas program, a paid, full-time role that rotates him through a different habitat type almost daily. He collects seeds, removes invasives, and is training toward professional certifications in chainsaw use, herbicide application, and prescribed burning. The program pays $18.36 per hour plus a $50 weekly travel allowance.

"What I love most is the breadth of what I'm learning," Cleveland told Lake Forest College's news site in a profile published Monday, July 21. "Every day I always learn something new, and I get to work hands-on with ecosystems I've never worked with before."

Aquatic habitat restoration has been the biggest surprise. Cleveland said the position introduced him to underwater ecosystems he had little experience with at college, and the variety is helping him figure out where to aim his conservation career.

Built on campus experience

Cleveland majored in environmental studies with a minor in English. He worked as a student employee in the college's greenhouse at Lillard Science Center, cultivating native plant species for on-campus restoration projects. His coursework in Plant Biology gave him a grounding in plant physiology he now applies in the field.

A program built for a shortage

The SENA program, established in 2023, was created to address a regional shortage of habitat restoration specialists. It offers 13 paid technician positions. Technicians spend roughly four days a week doing hands-on restoration alongside Garden ecologists and one day in dedicated training.

The program reports strong early placement rates: within six months of completing the program, more than 90 percent of technicians have secured jobs in the green industry or enrolled in further education, according to the Garden's program page. That figure is drawn from the program's first two cohorts since its 2023 launch.

The Botanic Garden sits on Lake Cook Road, just a few miles south of Lake Forest.

Cleveland's nine-month technician term runs through early 2027.