Episode 89 with Nancy DePas Reinertsen, ReWild Long Island/North Fork & North Fork/ Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators Co-Chair

In today’s episode, we sit down with Nancy DePas Reinertsen, Co-chair of ReWild Long Island/North Fork and the North Fork/Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators. Nancy shares the fascinating story of her family’s ancestry and their history in Haiti, where they were forced to leave due to political instability under the rise of François "Papa Doc" Duvalier. Her family eventually made their way to New York City, where Nancy grew up in Astoria, Queens. We dive into her childhood experiences, her journey through school, and her growing passion for horticulture during her college years. Nancy reflects on her career in interior landscaping while living in New York City, and her time abroad in Spain and France, before returning to New York to pursue a degree in linguistics. For 25 years, she worked as an English teacher for immigrants in Queens, helping to shape many lives. In retirement, Nancy followed her first love, becoming a Master Gardener, and found herself deeply involved in the North Fork’s environmental community. We explore her contributions to various local organizations and discuss her vision for the future of the North Fork’s natural landscape.