From Brazil to Barry County: Welcoming Dr. Hilton Oyamaguchi to PCCI
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Hilton Oyamaguchi as the first Director of Learning Landscapes at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute.
A Childhood Shaped by Nature
Hilton’s path to Pierce Cedar Creek Institute begins in Brazil, where he grew up surrounded by remarkable biodiversity. As a teenager, he spent time hiking and climbing in the Atlantic rainforest.
“That experience sparked my appreciation and respect for nature,” he shares. “It led me to study biology and ecology, and to keep asking questions about how we understand and protect the natural world.”
Following Curiosity from Brazil to UCLA
That curiosity carried him through his studies at the University of São Paulo and later to UCLA, where he completed his PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Along the way, he became both a field ecologist and an environmental educator, drawn to work that brings people into direct contact with the landscapes they are learning about.
Finding a Home at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
His connection to PCCI is also personal. He first came as a visitor, attending a summer program with his young son and later returning with family for a field course. With ties to Hastings through his wife’s family, and a shared desire to be closer to them, the opportunity to join the Institute arrived at the right moment.
Hilton was drawn to the Director of Learning Landscapes role for its collaborative nature and its ability to connect conservation from planning through action.
“It allows us to work from conservation planning through action and to evaluate the results of our efforts across space and time,” he shares. “It is a unique opportunity to connect conservation theory to action and collaborate with our diverse community of local residents, PreK–12 and college students, teachers, researchers, and volunteers.”
What “Learning Landscapes” Means
For Hilton, Learning Landscapes reflects a way of thinking about relationship.
“The land is not just an outdoor classroom,” he explains. “It is a partner we connect with and care for.”
He sees the forests, wetlands, prairies, and working lands of PCCI as places where people of all ages can come to learn, and also to contribute to the resilience of the land itself.
Connecting Science, Stewardship, and Community
Looking ahead, he hopes to strengthen the Institute as a place where science and community meet. A place where research at the Biological Field Station informs how we understand and care for the land, and where that knowledge is shared in ways that are meaningful and accessible.
“I want people to feel welcomed and empowered to learn and act together,” he says.
In many ways, Hilton’s vision reflects the spirit of this place, where the wild, the working, and the wonder of the land come together, and where each experience deepens our connection to it.
Looking Ahead Together
We invite you to meet Hilton at a welcome reception and community talk on June 3 at the Institute, a wonderful way to kick off the summer season and the start of the Biological Field Station. We hope you will join us in welcoming him to PCCI.
As we step into this next chapter, we are excited to learn alongside him.
Join Us
Hilton’s Welcome Reception