Friends of The Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge

Elkhorn Clarkia…………………….Photo by Bertha Kamstra

BIG NEWS:

Please welcome Thurman Johnson as the new Wildlife Resource Specialist for LPO. Thurman has worked in the research and management of wildlife and their habitats for a variety of entities including NPS, USDA, and ODFW. Prior to completing his master’s degree in restoration ecology, Thurman worked as an Assistant Wildlife Biologist at Julia Butler Hansen NWR where he conducted endangered wildlife translocations and developed novel approaches to the Refuge’s invasive species control. Among other strengths, he is experienced in habitat monitoring and restoration, using GIS, and designing collaborative projects between agencies and the public. As a result of his diverse experience, Thurman is familiar with ecosystems throughout the Pacific Northwest and the importance of effective teamwork in their management. We are excited to having Thurman join the Inland NW National Wildlife Refuge Complex team the week of August 28^th.

Thurman Johnson currently serves as a noxious weed & stewardship specialist for Spokane County’s Noxious Weed Control Board. Working in this capacity while pursuing his graduate studies, Thurman designed and funded multiple collaborative projects, discovered invasive species new to Eastern Washington and the Western US, and worked closely with the public to enact conservation measures on private lands throughout Spokane County. Projects Thurman has designed and led range from surveying and controlling newly discovered noxious weeds along miles of the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers to a first-of-its-kind program incentivizing noxious weed control with free native plants.

Having worked with land trusts, universities, farmers, ranchers, tribes, power companies, and local municipalities, Thurman comes to us with a deep appreciation for effective communication in the development of conservation solutions. “We all bring important perspectives and experiences to the table. In working to meet conservation challenges, I believe one of our greatest strengths is the ability to refine these perspectives into a unified response”.

Thurman is an avid photographer and horticulturalist who spends much of his free time botanizing and propagating native plants. He looks forward to becoming a part of the team.

Kelly Moroney, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Our Refuge staff is available by phone at 509-684-8384 Monday – Friday from 7:30am to 4:00pm.

Thank you for visiting!

Explore…View the Wildlife…Relax…

Heading out on a Ride……………………… .Photo by Joel Anderson

Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except the best. -Henry van Dyke

The Friends of the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is an independent, volunteer, non-profit 501c(3) organization chartered in 2000. Our organization is dedicated to promoting the conservation of native fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats on the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, providing educational opportunities, and fostering understanding and appreciation of the Refuge.

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