Angela Gupta
Angela Gupta is a specialist in invasive species in and around the state of Minnesota. She is an Extension professor of forestry at the University of Minnesota, where she serves as the first point of contact for woodland landowners who find themselves dealing with forestry issues, such as emerald ash borer and now, jumping worms.
With the help of local citizens, Gupta developed a multi-year community science endeavor to collect data on the efficacy of homegrown jumping worm management efforts, and better understand the impact jumping worms have in rural and suburban landscapes. She also conducted the first surveys ever on the emotional effect of jumping worm invasion on gardeners and landowners, revealing a significant psychological toll of these invaders, and highlighting the importance of messaging and education. She is now planning to help lead another participatory science project to study the worms’ effects on erosion in the Minnesota Blufflands.
Gupta has degrees in forestry and organizational management; before beginning her work in Minnesota, she spent time in Kenya as an agroforestry Extension US Peace Corps Volunteer, and in Michigan as an industrial district forester. When she is not hard at work engaging with the community, Gupta likes to spend time with her family. Over the pandemic, she and her two teenage boys adopted an overgrown woodlot and began clearing it of invasive plants and restoring a healthy, native ecosystem.
