Sarah shows off her homemade, eco-friendly laundry detergent.

We’ve always been committed to keeping the Zoo green, and we’re taking our efforts to the next level with our first-ever sustainability program manager, Sarah Burke!

Sarah will focus on reducing the Zoo’s waste, both on a day-to-day basis and during special events; optimizing our energy and water use; and promoting sustainable actions both internally and within the Brevard community.

Her passion for conservation and wildlife began at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, where she worked as a commissary assistant, zookeeper, nutrition and enrichment manager, and admissions cashier. After 10 years at the zoo, Sarah decided to pursue her master’s degree in sustainability, after which she accepted a position at the University of Nebraska at Omaha as a sustainability coordinator.

Sarah believes that sustainability is “just another way of looking at wildlife conservation.” She has always been passionate about both zoos and the environment—in fact, her graduate thesis assessed sustainability in zoos!

Though it will be her job to make the Zoo a green leader in the community, Sarah also practices sustainability on her own time. She loves experimenting to create environmentally friendly alternatives to single-use household items such as laundry detergent, plastic bags and cotton balls.

If you’d like to follow our sustainability journey, be sure to sign up for our monthly conservation newsletter!