Barry Nerhus, Community Contributor

Barry Nerhus is an experienced biologist whose career spans environmental consulting, nonprofit work, academia, and more. His work is primarily based on understanding and conserving life in habitats throughout southern California and beyond. To balance his consulting and nonprofit work, Barry Nerhus founded the Institute for Conservation Research and Education (ICRE) in 2011. At the IRCE, he researches the western pond turtle as well as other species in need of conservation research. Since then, ICRE has become a pillar of its community in Orange County, providing crucial opportunities for environmental involvement, outreach, and education.

Barry specializes in herpetology and has extensive experience working with and studying Southern California’s native pond turtle, the southwestern pond turtle. His observations of the rare species sparked his passion for conservation biology.