Tim Simmons retired in 2016 from his position as restoration ecologist with the Massachusetts Division of 
Fisheries and Wildlife Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) where he managed a multitude of projects related to special status species of plants and animals. He is known by his colleagues as a skillful land manager, conservation biologist, naturalist, entomologist, fire ecologist and fire practitioner. Tim is also widely known and credited as a pioneer in restoring fire to the pyrophilic natural communities of New England. He is particularly experienced with the pine barrens of southern New England and has been involved with efforts to restore fire to the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area in Montague, MA.
Prior to his position with NHESP, Tim was Director of Science and Stewardship for the Massachusetts Chapter of the Nature Conservancy (TNC) and their fire manager for the New England region. During his time working for TNC, Tim began a long-term ecological restoration project at Kampoosa Bog in the Berkshires managing common reed (Phragmites australis) in order to protect the immense native plant diversity present in this calcareous wetland.
Because of the impact and wide range of his work in restoration, SER-NE awarded Mr. Simmons with the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award in Ecological Restoration.