New Council Member Friday: Olivia Duren

For our first post in the series “New Council Member Fridays,” Meet Olivia Duren:

Joining the Council as an at-large member in 2019! Olivia received her Masters of Science in Botany at Oregon State University and is now a Riparian analyst with The Freshwater Trust. Olivia works at the intersection of applied ecology and restoration. This means she connects research and management for effective restoration practices.

Invasive species are one of the primary threats to successful riparian restoration and the ecosystem services that she is trying to restore (i.e. water retention, water temperature, fish & wildlife habitat). Invasive species, particularly noxious weeds, continue to be a critical issue impacting restoration. Olivia wants to address this issue to protect Oregon’s resources for future generations.

Outside of work, Olivia loves discovering new places to explore with her family. If it’s down a dirt road and along a river, she is there! Recently, Olivia was able to combine her adventures with a role as volunteer botanist out in the Eagle Cap Wilderness in the Wallowa Mountains. She combined efforts to both set up a new GLORIA site and spend time catching bugs with her kids.

Picture of Olivia Duren exploring with family and doggo.

As a new Council member, Olivia is most looking forward to learning from her fellow Council members and connecting efforts across Oregon, Idaho, and California.