When you work in conservation, you meet incredible people whose dedication inspires you to do more. Dr. Andrea Willey is one of those individuals—a passionate conservationist who never gives up.
In 2023, Andrea founded the Waterbird Habitat Project after discovering a Great Blue Heron hanging from a tree, fatally entangled in discarded fishing line. That moment became a turning point, and since then, she has made it her mission to protect waterbirds along the Lower American River. Andrea regularly patrols the riverbanks, removing discarded fishing line, tackle, and other debris that pose serious threats to wildlife in the riparian corridor. Beyond cleanup efforts, her project focuses on education—encouraging anglers to understand the impact of their actions and take responsibility for the environment they enjoy. She coined the phrase “angling for the ecosystem,” promoting a simple but powerful idea: “take five to keep the ecosystem alive.” If every angler spent just five minutes after fishing to pick up and properly dispose of litter, the cumulative impact on the river’s health would be significant. The Waterbird Habitat Project’s work extends beyond cleanup. Andrea leads efforts to remove invasive plant species, restore degraded river areas, clean up abandoned encampments, rescue injured wildlife, and install fishing line recycling stations at popular access points.
Her dedication has not gone unnoticed. Andrea was honored by the Environmental Council of Sacramento as Environmentalist of the Year – Wildlife Award. With growing momentum and community support, she is now expanding her efforts to other watersheds across California.
Andrea self-funds much of her work and dedicates hundreds of hours to conservation—all while running a successful surgical dermatology practice in the Sacramento area. Though small in stature, she is a powerhouse of energy, determination, and heart. We are honored to name Dr. Andrea Willey a Trout Unlimited California River Champion.
Check out https://waterbirdhabitat.org/ to find out more about the Waterbird Habitat Project.