Bio

"I enjoy seeking an understanding of my surroundings, and unveiling the unity that exists in the variety of things."
 
Devin Floyd

Devin grew up exploring the fields, forests, and streams of the Blue Ridge Mtns. of southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. He has diverse background of professional experience, including archaeology, geology, landscape reading, biological survey, natural systems study, illustration, and landscape design. He received a degree in Prehistoric Archaeology from James Madison University in 1996. His work experience as an Archaeologist included spending several years each at Oatlands Plantation, Edge Hill Plantation, James Madison’s Montpelier, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

Inspired by the extraordinarily rich cultural and natural history of the New River Highlands, Devin cofounded Blue Ridge Discovery Center (BRDC) as an education organization firmly rooted in inquiry, science, and art. Using his skillsets of leadership, detail-oriented organization, scientific inquiry, technical illustration, and teaching, he developed the unique “explore, discover, share” approach that drives BRDC activities today. As the first President and Director, he guided the development of the logo, mission, vision, and goals during the founding of the Center. Devin is currently a natural history guide and organizational development advisor for BRDC.

Devin presently works full time as executive director and principal investigator at Center for Urban Habitats, LLC, an organization he founded to advance biodiversity education and conservation in the Piedmont Ecoregion. Some of CUH’s services include environmental consulting, biological survey, native systems landscape design+install, natural history publications, and place-based natural history education. Devin is the past Chair of the Albemarle County Natural Heritage Committee and continues to provide leadership and oversight on assessing and managing Central Virginia’s Natural Resources.

Devin’s passion for the outdoors has immersed him in a great variety of Blue Ridge and Piedmont ecosystems and cultural landscapes. His day to day action is driven by exploration and discovery, and sharing what he has learned with others. Devin brings the steadfast vision of the power of discovering and sharing connections within the world around us to everything he does.

  

Devin's Resume   

Education

James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA. B.A. Anthropology, May 1996.

• major: Anthropology 
• minor: Art & Geology
• JMU baseball scholarship 1992-1996; 30 hours of practice/games per week         
• Colonial Athletic Association Scholar Athlete: 1992-93, 1994-95            
• Honoree at GTE/JMU Academic Achievement Banquet: 1995

Work Experience

Biological Survey and Ecosystem Assessments

• Survey Manager and Author, Center for Urban Habitats, LLC: 2014-Present
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• Past Chair and Biological Inventory Specialist, Albemarle County Natural Heritage Committee: 2015 - Present
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Native Ecosystem-Modeled Landscape Design and Installation

• Founder and Principal Designer, Center for Urban Habitats, LLC: 2012 - Present
• Quarry Gardens at Schuyler Native Ecosystem Arboretum
• St. Charles Creek Headwaters: Native Wetland Biome
• Friendship Court Orchard Pollinator Sanctuary
• Reiter Forest Ecosystem Integrated Trails
• Canopy View Ecosystem Gardens Plant Design
• Khabira's Wise Meadows
• Wimberley Storm Water Swales
• Wimberley Biome
• St. Paul's Memorial Church Butterfly Sanctuary
• Belmont Plaza Pollinator Magnet 
• Scottsville Library
• St. Clair Wetland Design
• Sojourner's Church Storm Water Plant Design
• IX Art Park: Pollocks Path and Meadows
• Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center: Butterfly Biome Plant Design
• University Montessori Storm Water Swales 
• University Montessori Wildlife Habitat Installations
• Polo Grounds Road Salamander Habitat Plant Design
• Court Square Courtyard Meadow
• Court Square Basic-Mesic Forest
• Penny Lane Prairie Plant Design
• Kenwood Lane Rain Garden Plant Design
• Casa Alma Native Ecosystem Integration
• Catlett Monarch Plant Design
• Hinton Avenue Bulbouts
• Lorenzoni Native Niche
• Johnson Elementary School Owl Magnet
• Clark Elementary School Wildlife Garden
• The Mansfield Meadow Connecting outdoor living space with the forest via an ecotone installation [acidic, nutrient-poor, dappled light native plant community design]
• Laskoe Patio Hardscape experiment in stone, water, flora, and human movement integration

Outdoor Education and Natural History Interpretation

• Co-founder and President, Blue Ridge Discovery Center, Inc: 2008-2011.  The organization was created to inspire creativity, discovery, and critical thinking through interest-driven and hands on activities in the outdoors. www.blueridgediscoverycenter.org    
• Founding and management Co-created and managed a multifaceted volunteer-based outdoor education non-profit with a regional focus. 
• Education Program Design and implementation: 2008-2011. Designed and implemented high quality outdoor education programs for Blue Ridge Discovery Center, Inc. Was the primary program and exhibit coordinator and guide for BRDC. Inc. Program audiences ranged from children to adult, public to private schools and clubs, and always incorporated exploration, inquiry, and hands-on learning. (examples of programs available upon request. Program results were published on-line.)
• Web Design and maintenance: 2008-2010. Designed, managed, and maintained Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s blogs: www.blueridgediscoveryproject.blogspot.com , www.piedmontdiscovery.blogspot.com , www.ridgeandvalleyblogspot.com 
• Writer: Natural History Education: 2008-2011. Published dozens of natural history education articles targeted at audiences ranging from grade school to adult. (samples available upon request) 

• Natural History Interpretive Guide: June, 2011. Monticello’s Saturdays in the Garden: An Expedition at Secluded Farm. A two hour inquiry into habitat variety and diversity at Secluded Farm tract of the Thomas Jefferson Parkway. Participants learned about the factors that influence habitat variation upon the farm’s rich woodlands and fields. Topics such as geology, soil drainage, land use history, slope, aspect and elevation will be explored.  
• Natural History Interpretive Guide: April, 2011. A Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards hike: What are Trees Telling You? …a tree expedition at Secluded Farm. A first-hand look at the primary forces that influence where and how trees grow, including soils, geology, lay of the land, and human land use.

Art and Illustration

• Graphic Design: 2008-2011. Designed high quality flyers, business cards, education materials, and brochures for Blue Ridge Discovery Center, Inc.  (Portfolio samples available upon request)
• Logo Design: 2008-2010. Designed logo for the High Country Audubon Society and logo and seal for Blue Ridge Discovery Center, Inc.
• Research and Fine Arts commission: 2005-2008. The Mangano Property. Private commission involving family members on a large tract of land. Project included in-depth research and investigations into local natural history, geologic history, cultural history, and land use history. Dozens of illustrations and studies were produced during the project and the project’s culmination was a large-scale full-color painting of the family home-site and a presentation of all materials produced during the project. (project  portfolio available upon request)
• Professional Illustrator and Artist: 1990-2008 watercolors, pen and ink, oil paints, mixed media, etc. Work included children’s book illustrations, murals, home, people and pet portraits, work produced for fine art galleries, and architectural and archaeological illustration. (portfolio examples available upon request)
• Illustrator: 2006-2007. The Montpelier Foundation Conjectural illustration for
  public interpretive signs at the newly discovered “Home Quarter” slave, overseer, barn complex  
• Illustrator: Spring 2004 The Montpelier Foundation Conjectural illustration for James Madison’s Drawing Room in preparation for renovation.
• Fine Arts commission: 2003-2004. The Harris Property. Private art commission that resulted in dozens of illustrations and studies. The project’s culmination was a large-scale full-color painting of the family home-site and a presentation of all materials produced during the project. (project  portfolio available upon request)
• Illustrator Feb. 2002 The Montpelier Foundation Conjectural illustrations for the interior of the Madison era main house in preparation for renovation. 
• Draftsman: Summer 1996 Montpelier Drafting for Public Archaeology Exhibit “A Decade of Montpelier Archaeology”

Archaeology and research

• Book self-published. 2008. “Edge Hill Archaeology. South and Southeast Yards at the Main House”. 178 pages. Written and illustrated by Devin Floyd. Archaeological findings during the monitoring of ground-breaking events associated with the Huber renovations in the South and Southeast yard areas. (book available upon request)
• Archaeologist: 2005- 2007 Edge Hill Plantation/Academy. Research, monitoring , data recovery, and report preparation for the Huber additions/ renovations.
• Historic Research: 2004-2005 Prepared for the Weiss Log Cabin of Grant, Virginia. Wrote an in depth document portraying the Weiss family history during and after the colonial period. 
  
• Archaeological Project Manager Fall 2001 Oatlands Plantation, Leesburg, VA (Co-stewardship site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation) Phase II Archaeological Investigations at the Oatlands Greenhouse. Worked under the guidance of Lynne G. Lewis, Senior archaeologist for the National Trust for Historic Preservation 
• Archaeological Project Manager Fall 1998- Spring 1999 Oatlands Plantation, Leesburg, VA (Co-stewardship site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation) Phase II Archaeological Investigations as part of the Historic Structures Report. Worked under the guidance of Lynne G. Lewis, Senior archaeologist for the National Trust for Historic Preservation

• Montpelier Assistant Archaeologist Feb.1997- Oct.1998. Included teaching James Madison University field school.
• Paper Presentation. 1998 Society for Historic Archaeology Conference. Atlanta, Ga.
• www.montpelier.org Spring 1998 Provided graphics for Montpelier’s web page
• Draftsman and Lab Technician 1997 Guilford Project Director: Lynne Lewis, National Trust for Historic Preservation Phase I and II survey and subsurface investigations
• Flintknapping Demonstrations/ Instructional Summer 1997 Montpelier
• Archaeological Director James Madison University/National Forest Service Fall 1996, Spring 1997 North River Gap Project Phase I survey, George Washington National Forest.
• Archaeological Director James Madison University Spring 1997 Clarke County Phase I Mill Survey
• Field School James Madison University/Montpelier Archaeology June-July 1996 Director: Dr. Clarence Geier, Department Anthropology, JMU, Lynne Lewis, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Scott Parker, Montpelier. Basic archaeological field techniques, at National Trust for Historic Preservation property at Montpelier. Course work included: excavation, recording, laboratory analysis on 18th-20th century components.
• Field Technician:
• James Madison University/National Forest Service: Summer 1996 George Washington National Forest, Phase I survey
• James Madison Archaeology: Spring 1994 Sheredan Field Hospital, Phase II-III
• James Madison Archaeology: Spring 1994 Henry County Plantation, Phase I-III

Other Work

• Private Music Instructor: 2003-2006. Hired to give interest-based music lessons to individuals and groups. Students varied in age from child to adult. Instruments taught were bass, guitar, and occasional full-band instruction.
• Manager, Minuteman Press. Chantilly, Virginia. 2000-2001. Ran day to day operations, including quality assurance, customer order reception, sales calls, product design and production, and production oversight.

Other Skills

• Virginia Master Naturalist: skilled at reading landscape
• Natural Resources Inventory/Survey: performed species documentation survey with BRDC, Inc. and the Albemarle County Natural History Committee
• Computer: Word Processing, Internet, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, graphic design
• Exhibit design and construction: drafting; graphics editing; carpentry
• Restoration/construction: architectural documentation, home construction and renovation, landscape design
• Experimental archaeology: lithic artifact reproduction; lithic material sourcing
• Craftsman: made guitars and sculptures

JMU Course work:  

• Introduction to Anthropology 
• Earth and Man
• Introduction to Archaeology 
• Rocks and Minerals
• North American Archaeology 
• Evolution of the Earth
• Cultural Anthropology 
• Karst Topography
• Physical Anthropology 
• Planetary Geology
• North American Indians 
• Physical Geology
• Maya/Aztec Religion 
• Geomorphology
• Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion 
• Graphic Design
• History of Anthropological Theory 
• 3-D Design
• Archaeological Methods of Analysis and Interpretation 
• Drawing I, II
• Painting I, II
• Archaeological Curation 
• Art History
• Bifacial Flintknapping