Junko Hoshi

Junko Hoshi is a Conservation Planner at California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Science Institute. Junko’s passion for nature goes back to her first memory gorging on wild raspberries near her home. Urban sprawl was approaching fast and those secondary forests in Tokyo where she had been catching critters and digging fossils transformed into forests of housing in just two years, except for areas protected under city codes. This experience eventually led her to change careers from an engineer/mathematician to conservation planner.

For the past 11 years, from local to international scales, she has collaborated to advance ecosystem conservation activities representing CDFW (e.g., CA Biodiversity Council, CA Strategic Growth Council, Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, State of Aichi, Japan). She co-developed various regional strategies (e.g., Bay Delta Conservation Plan and Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan) before co-leading development of the California State Wildlife Action Plan 2015 Update (SWAP 2015). She currently manages SWAP Program as well as SB34 Advance Mitigation Land acquisition Grant Program, through which large pristine lands in California deserts become perpetually protected as future mitigation lands prior to development.

Junko loves diversities, whether of human or nature, and works tirelessly for her vision to protect and enhance them. It should not be a surprise that she is excited about joining SJV, together to steward natural landscapes across borders beyond differences responding to greatest challenges and opportunities.

Junko uses binoculars first to look for plants. Roadrunners never fail to uplift her spirit and remind her to take things easier. Dry lands have a special spot in her heart, too; especially water in deserts is an endless source of inspirations for her. How could it be possible that so many desiccated lands are defined by water features? How does a splash of rain bring desert spring flowers into a frenzy?