Tom Velat is the ecology coordinator in the Natural Resources department at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. He has worked for the District since 2002 in various seasonal and professional capacities. Tom is involved in many wildlife-related programs, but his first love are butterflies. Tom currently serves on the leadership team for the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network and is also a longtime butterfly monitor. He also served as the District’s representative to the Illinois Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly Working Group for 10 years. In his spare time, Tom enjoys relaxing at home with his wife and two cats. He also enjoys cooking, playing bass guitar, hiking in forest preserves, and star gazing to contribute to the Loss Of The Night Citizen Science Project.
