Willy Granda - ACE Preserve Champion Page

I first got introduced to UPG right after high school in 2009, and the work has stayed with me ever since. Believe it or not, I was their FIRST intern EVER.

What UPG does speaks to my soul. Humans have unintentionally caused so much harm to the environment—often without even realizing it. Years of neglect, invasive species spreading unchecked, and the loss of native habitats have created damage that still isn’t being addressed at the scale it needs to be.

Supporting UPG allows me to be part of the change I believe in. I want to help restore what’s been lost and protect what’s still here. Whether someone considers themselves a “nature person” or not, the truth is that we are all connected to the environment. What happens to our trees, our wildlife, and our water eventually affects every one of us.

I’m a Miami native, and some of my favorite places in the world are right here—The Everglades, Big Cypress, and Virginia Key. As a certified arborist, I naturally gravitate toward trees, but I care deeply about animals, water, and every piece of the ecosystem that keeps our home thriving.

That’s why I’m fundraising for UPG. They’re doing the work that matters, protecting habitats, restoring native species, defending our waters, and building a more resilient future for Miami. And I’m proud to stand with them.

Here is a video of my time as a program manger for UPG AmeriCorps: https://youtu.be/2xtSDdMafzQ?si=oYM5za69HRNvBD1s