New ecologist moves the dial for ecosystems

December 2021

January 2021 saw me packing up my home along the US/Mexico border and trekking 22 hours across the country to land in Corvallis, Oregon. I was chasing down a dream that I’d held close for years: to conserve and restore the ecosystems that had stolen my heart as a child visiting the Oregon coast. The Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE), with its mission to conserve native species and habitats through restoration, research and education, made my dream come true. I was officially a Research Ecologist with IAE. Now, a year later, it only feels natural to slow down and reflect on the incredible year I’ve had with this organization.

• Surveying 3400 acres of land across Idaho for threatened and endangered species with seasonal field crews
• Establishing 148 long-term monitoring plots in Oregon and California to track changes over time in response to restoration treatments
• Surveying 60 Special Status Plant populations throughout Idaho, California, and Oregon
• Living out of my vehicle for 13 weeks, all the while convening with inspiring seasonal staff and project partners in breathtaking locales
• Losing one shoe, a jacket, and a sunhat to the wiles of California chaparral (but somehow still making it out alive!)
• Spending countless hours behind my desk analyzing data, writing reports, and attending meetings that will drive future conservation and restoration efforts in these special landscapes

It has been a genuine honor to learn and grow with this organization this past year. No matter where I find myself, there is one constant I come back to in the environmental field: it may not always be easy, but it will always be worth it. I can only hope that 2022 brings the same sense of accomplishment as 2021 has.