Kyle Elms

Wildlife Biologist I
Forestry and Environmental Conservation Department, Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science

Office: 177 Hobcaw Rd, Georgetown, SC 29442
Phone: 703-627-4923

Email: elms@clemson.edu

Educational Background

B.S Wildlife and Fisheries Biology
University of Vermont 2023

Profile

Kyle Elms began with the James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation Center in February 2026. He grew up in Northern Virginia in the DC suburbs and graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in wildlife and fisheries biology. Shortly after graduation he headed west to Idaho and aided the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) with their wetland restoration, invasive species, waterfowl, and pollinator projects at Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Bear lake was his first hands-on wildlife work and very quickly he knew he wanted to continue to help manage this nation’s wildlife and habitats. For two years he was a part of the tallgrass prairie biological team for Western Minnesota stationed at Rydell and Glacial Ridge NWRs. While in Minnesota his fieldwork involved monitoring grassland restorations and surveying bumblebees. He also helped educate school groups about the ecology of the tallgrass ecosystem and the importance of the USFWS in protecting them. When in the office he managed and cleaned old prairie reconstruction data from throughout Western Minnesota. Making it more readily available on the online Prairie Reconstruction Initiative database. The database is a crucial tool for land managers to better understand and share how their actions impact restorations.

With his background in land management, Kyle is excited to be working at a lab with management at the basis of its research. As a staff wildlife biologist with the James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetland Conservation Center, he will be using his broad expertise to aid other staff and graduate students in their research. He also has developed and implemented a wildlife monitoring project using camera traps to observe wildlife behavior around rice trunks. This monitoring project will lay the groundwork for the ecological portion of future graduate research into redesigning the materials used for trunks.

In his free time, he can be seen photographing just about anything, birding, hiking, reading a book in a hammock, and now exploring the new ecosystems of South Carolina.
Kyle is wildlife biologist joining the James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetland Center. He will be aiding them in a variety of biological projects from wetlands and waterfowls to pollinators. Helping with both fieldwork and grant writing.

In his free time, Kyle can be seen photographing just about anything, birding, hiking, reading a book in a hammock, and now exploring the new ecosystems of South Carolina.