Institute for Natural Resources

B.A. Biology, Reed College, 2002
M.S. Resource Conservation, University of Montana, 2011
Ph.D. Candidate, Earth, Environment & Society, Portland State University

Kyla began working with INR in 2014 as a GIS Analyst, but now spends much of her time mucking about in wetlands. She is concerned about the fate of Oregon’s wetlands given intensifying drought and development pressures, and she is passionate about bolstering awareness, appreciation and information about the diversity of wetland types across the state and their ecological functioning. Prior to joining INR, Kyla worked with the Montana Natural Heritage Program to produce data for the National Wetland Inventory and conduct ecological integrity assessments of groundwater dependent ecosystems. Her PhD project also intersects with wet places: Kyla’s research examines the resilience of forested wetlands under changing fire and climate regimes in Chilean Patagonia. In the uplands, Kyla is often found watching birds, practicing tai chi or learning about herbalism.

Future*, current and past projects:

• Developing a wide-scale, urban-to-wildland network of palustrine wetland water level and temperature monitoring stations*. Please be in touch if you want to support this endeavor.
• Mapping and monitoring wetlands and beaver habitat on Mt. Hood in collaboration with Bark staff and citizen scientists. See Bark’s event page to get involved!
• Partnering with the Forest Service to inventory fens in Fremont-Winema National Forest.
• Managing Riparian and Wetland AIM surveys for the Bureau of Land Management.
• Modeled the flood attenuation benefits of individual wetlands in the Kellogg-Mt. Scott Watershed with the North Clackamas Watersheds Council and The Wetlands Conservancy.
• Updated the Oregon Wetlands Database, an Oregon GIS Framework dataset.
• Digitized and consolidated Local Wetland Inventories for the Department of State Lands.