Caroline Hernandez

Caroline Hernandez is the Assistant Director for the Sustainable Landscapes program at the
Energy Resources Center for the University of Illinois Chicago. Caroline supports the Rights-of-
Way as Habitat Working Group and manages programs to engage energy and transportation
leaders across the U.S. and Canada in pollinator habitat creation and conservation. Caroline is a
LEED Green Associate, holds a dual master's degree in international relations and natural
resources and sustainable development, and has a background in globalization, sustainable
development, and climate change.
Caroline helps facilitate the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group, focusing on the
intersection of land management, conservation, and sustainable land use. Her work is
dedicated to exploring how rights-of-way—such as utility corridors, transportation routes, and
other linear infrastructures—can be integrated into habitat restoration, biodiversity
conservation, and sustainable ecosystem management.
Caroline has extensive experience in ecological research, habitat restoration, and land
management practices, with a particular emphasis on habitat connectivity and the role of
rights-of-way in supporting biodiversity. Her research explores the potential of these corridors
as critical habitats for species preservation, aiming to enhance ecological functions in
developed landscapes. Caroline is involved in collaborative efforts with local, state, and national
stakeholders to develop guidelines and strategies for managing rights-of-way in ways that
promote both infrastructure development and ecological health. Caroline has contributed to
numerous publications and is a regular speaker at national conservation and energy and
transportation conferences, promoting the importance of adaptive land management strategies
that consider both human infrastructure and wildlife needs