Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership

We'd like to extend a warm welcome (extra warm this week!) to Sam McCarrell! Sam joined us last month and will be serving on the Monitoring Team for the summer assisting with field data collection. Sam’s fascination with coastal ecosystems and marine life began as a child growing up in California. Her professional experience focuses on marine science and includes a project to map Oregon’s kelp beds and fisheries data collection. Sam holds a Master of Professional Studies in Environmental GIS from Unity College and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Stain Mary’s College of California. In her free time, Sam likes to garden, craft, and cook. Welcome Sam!

We are pleased to welcome Ona Underwood to our team this summer! Ona is one of two seasonal research technicians that will support our Monitoring Team this summer. She will be spending lots of time in the field and the lab to help with our Ecosystem Monitoring Program, the Action Effectiveness Monitoring Program, and the Soil Carbon and Methane Study. Ona’s past experiences include investigating past changes in the periodicity and severity of glacial cycles using isotopic analyses of forams - a type of single -celled organism - from Antarctic sea floor sediment cores, and using satellite images and geographical data to investigate the factors that contribute to a wildfire’s burn path and severity. She graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor’s degree in Geosciences. She also enjoys hiking around the greater Portland area to find the coolest swim holes, arts and crafts, and dabbling in soccer. We are pleased to have her on our team!

We want to extend a heartfelt welcome to Nicholas, our new Summer Paddle Leader! Nicholas came to us from the fantastic Black Futures Farm, where a fellow volunteer encouraged him to apply. We're excited to have him on board to support our Big Canoe program through the summer season. Along with his role with us and his volunteer work, Nicholas also practices and teaches Tai Chi, works as a personal trainer, and nurtures his family. Give a friendly wave if you see him out on our Big Canoes!

Registration for the Science to Policy Summit closes next Friday, May 10! The Summit will take place at Lacamas Lake Lodge on Wednesday, May 15, on the topic of "Conservation as climate mitigation: Using carbon programs to protect and restore ecosystems." Virtual attendance is also available. Carbon programs create financial incentives to reduce emissions and have the potential to be integrated into a variety of conservation and restoration programs. At the Science to Policy Summit 2024, carbon program business leaders, resource managers, researchers, and restoration practitioners will share the latest research on carbon sequestration, how carbon programs are currently operating, and how they are evolving to meet new restoration and conservation initiatives. Register: https://lnkd.in/gDpEN8z6 We're also offering FREE lunchtime paddles on the Estuary Partnership's two Big Canoes with members of our Education Team. The Estuary Partnership initiated the Science to Policy Summit series in 2007 to expand the dialog among scientists, natural resource professionals and community leaders within the region. This will be the first recurrence of the Summit since 2019.

We'd like to welcome Kristen Klever to our team! Kristen has joined our education team through November to help lead Big Canoe paddles, field trips, plantings, and community events. Kristen brings over twenty years of experience in environmental education nonprofits, centered in the communities of East Portland. She's worked for OMSI, MESD Outdoor School, Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center, Metro, SUN, varied parks and recreation departments, and grassroots nonprofits. She volunteers for Portland Public Schools, local mutual aid, community youth programs, and has served on and chaired several nonprofit boards. Kristen has kept a garden with Portland Community Gardens for 13 years, and she is a member of the 2024 Oregon State University Master Gardener cohort for the Metro area. In her free time, she hikes, makes art with her family, and listens to Bruce Springsteen. Welcome Kristen!

We're hiring a seasonal Research Technician! This position will support our Ecosystem, Action Effectiveness, and Restoration Monitoring programs, as well as our carbon methane flux study. The position primarily collects monitoring data and assists with data quality assurance, management, and analyses. This job offers a great opportunity to gain professional field and lab experience to those pursuing a career in natural resource conservation or related fields. Deadline to apply is Monday, May 13 at 4pm. Find all the details and the link to apply: https://lnkd.in/gh4PVURy

We want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the young philanthropists of the Animal Saving Club! This group of generous 8th graders sold sets of hand-drawn greeting cards during the holiday months and donated all the proceeds to the Estuary Partnership. ASC member Alana explained, "We wanted to pick a local nonprofit that protects Oregon animals. The Columbia River has a wide variety of such creatures, so it excited many of the members. Additionally, the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership does great work in this ecosystem that we were proud to support!" We are overwhelmed with gratitude at their donation of more than $1,000 towards our mission! If you're inspired to join them, your gift will be matched 1:1 all April long by our generous Earth Month sponsors KPFF Consulting Engineers & Ash Creek Forest Management, LLC. https://lnkd.in/guE5nehn Many thanks, Animal Saving Club members!

We are soliciting proposals from firms interested in providing restoration alternatives and preliminary design services for its East Fork Lewis River Thermal Refuge Project. The Estuary Partnership will use these proposals, along with follow-up interviews with short-listed firms, to select a firm to assist the Estuary Partnership and its project team with completing a restoration alternatives assessment and preliminary (30%) restoration designs for a suite of 3-4 potential thermal refuge sites along the lower East Fork Lewis River. https://lnkd.in/giSYdecF

We are pleased to welcome Tony Tommasini to the Estuary Partnership this spring! Tony is an Air Force veteran and joins us as an intern through the Department of Defense SkillBridge Program. Tony grew up in California and Washington, graduating from Skyview High School in 2017. He then served as a Combat Controller for the Air Force Special Operations Command for 5 ½ years. Tony approached the Estuary Partnership about an internship because he was looking to gain experience in a variety of conservation fields and to contribute to a sustainable world. “I love fish and being on and in the water,” says Tony. “That’s the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, there’s always something to do no matter the time of year. I hope to contribute my efforts to keep this available for all to enjoy, for generations to come.” Tony will be with us through June. Help us welcome him to our team!

Register now for our Science to Policy Summit on May 15! Our topic is "Conservation as climate mitigation: Using carbon programs to protect and restore ecosystems." The Summit will take place at Lacamas Lake Lodge, and virtual attendance is also available. Carbon programs create financial incentives to reduce emissions and have the potential to be integrated into a variety of conservation and restoration programs. At the Science to Policy Summit 2024, carbon program business leaders, resource managers, researchers, and restoration practitioners will share the latest research on carbon sequestration, how carbon programs are currently operating, and how they are evolving to meet new restoration and conservation initiatives. Register: https://lnkd.in/gDpEN8z6 The Estuary Partnership initiated the Science to Policy Summit series in 2007 to expand the dialog among scientists, natural resource professionals and community leaders within the region. This will be the first recurrence of the Summit since 2019.