Vegetation

Seeking an undergraduate student to contribute to a National Science Foundation (NSF) Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) project addressing how forest species interactions influence plant regeneration following wildfire. This student will assist with understory vegetation resurveys involving seedlings of canopy trees and herbaceous plants in recently burned old-growth forests. In addition, this student will develop independent research related to the distribution and performance of nitrogen fixing Ceanothus sanguineus, which is of particular interest for its ability to influence nitrogen pools and canopy seedling survival rates. This student will have opportunities to present results of their summer research and will be co-mentored by Dr. Joe LaManna and PhD student Cole Doolittle (Marquette University).

This NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship provides an undergraduate student an opportunity to participate in 10 weeks of a mentored, paid, research experience. The internship is full-time (40 hours/week), for 10 weeks roughly from June-August 2022. The work will occur at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest (HJA) (https://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/), which is located approximately one hour east of Eugene, Oregon, in the beautiful Western Cascade range. The area is known for its recreational opportunities including hiking and backpacking, scenic volcanoes, and the Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Students will be provided with a stipend of $5,500 and apartment-style, shared-room housing at the HJA field station. There are funds to defray the cost of traveling to the HJA . Please note that the REU program is considered an educational program rather than employment; therefore, Oregon State University does not provide worker’s compensation insurance coverage nor medical insurance on your behalf. The student intern will be responsible for their own health insurance coverage.

Applicants should have a valid driver’s license, the ability to carry a heavy pack (40+ lb) for moderate distances (5+ mi) over uneven, mountainous terrain, and be comfortable spending long days on their feet in the field. The position will involve working in inclement weather. Being a team player is necessary for group work/living situation. Ability to adapt to a variable work schedule is also necessary. Eligibility is limited to currently enrolled undergraduates that have a graduation date no sooner than fall 2023 (no graduating seniors). All applicants must be U.S. Citizens or permanent residents. Students from traditionally underrepresented groups in science are strongly encouraged to apply.

To apply, please send: 1) a cover letter outlining your interest and relevant experience, 2) CV, and 3) contact information for three professional references to: Cole Doolittle with the subject line “LTER REU Application”. Review of applications will begin on March 20th, 2023 but applications will be considered until the position is filled.

Overview: We are hiring one (1) crew leader and three (3) crew members to work on a long-term study of tree growth and mortality in mature and old-growth forests of Oregon and Washington. This research is part of the Pacific Northwest Permanent Sample Plot Program (http://pnwpsp.forestry.oregonstate.edu). The project objective is to understand the long-term patterns and mechanisms of undisturbed forest dynamics across a diversity of forest types. Employee(s) will learn about forest succession, forest dynamics, and tree mortality in mature and old-growth forests of the Cascade Mountains and Coast Range.

Duties: Field crew members will (a) navigate off-trail in steep, brushy terrain to relocate permanent plots using topographic maps, compass and GPS; (b) identify tree, shrub, and herbaceous plant species; (c) tag, measure and map trees; (d) assess and document symptoms and causes of tree mortality; and (e) record and check data for completeness and clarity.

Logistics: Crews are based at the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest (http://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/) near Blue River, OR where housing is provided at no cost. Camping will be necessary for non-HJ Andrews sites located in Washington and Oregon. When camping, a stipend will be provided.

Minimum qualifications: 

• Enrolled in or graduated from a program in forestry, natural resources, environmental science or closely related field; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Ability to follow complex data collection procedures.
• Experience or training in forest inventory methods and measurements.
• Experience navigating mountainous terrain using compass, map and GPS.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and with other crew members in a professional manner while maintaining a positive and safe work environment.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience or training in identifying the symptoms and causes of tree mortality.
• Familiarity with the woody plants of the PNW or proven ability to learn them quickly.
• Prior experience conducting field work and collecting data for research.
• First-aid or wilderness first-aid training; Wildland Firefighting training.
• A demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.

Salary:  $17-$19/hour depending on position and qualifications

Duration:  June 19 to September 16, 2023

On-line application instructions:

• Application depends on student status.  You are considered a student if you are enrolled for at least 6 credits in spring and intend to take at least 6 credits in the fall.
• Go to https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/ choose ‘Search Jobs’, and enter the following, appropriate Posting # in the Keyword search:
  
  • Students: Posting # P09552SE
  • Grads/Non-students: Crew Leader: Posting # P04086CT
  • Grads/Non-students; Crew member: Posting # P04084CT
• Click on “Apply for this Job” and follow the instructions.

FMI: Contact Andrew Bluhm, PNW Permanent Sample Plot Program Coordinator, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University.

Photographer Nancy Floyd is using her 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship award to explore remote corners of the Andrews Forest with Marquette University ecology professor Joe Lamanna and his field crew and students. This art-science encounter is in early stages of development, but after weeks in the field together this summer, a theme of immersion seems to be taking shape – the literal immersion of everyone swimming in a sea of vegetation and the immersive attentiveness of artist and field ecologists pouring over a meter-square plot for hours or expanding a hectare-scale reference stands to many hectares.  

Nancy comments, "While the long days can be grueling, climbing over downed Douglas firs and through the impossible vine maples while battling bugs and sometimes heat and rain, what impressed me most was listening to them talk about the forest and their commitment to their work. To know that what they record today will be studied and then carried on in future studies gives me hope for our planet."  

BIO

Nancy Floyd is a visual artist whose interests include the aging female body, the passage of time, barren landscapes, and trees.   She uses photography, video, and mixed-media to address the ways in which lens-based media can connect deeply with experience and memory.

Floyd has received numerous grants and awards including a 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship to carry out an exploration of trees in Oregon and the 2019 International Center of Photography / GOST Books First Photo Book Award for her 39-year self-portrait series, Weathering Time.  Her work has been exhibited in numerous venues including The High Museum of Art (Atlanta, GA), The Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago, IL), Blue Sky Gallery (Portland, OR); CUE Art Foundation (New York, NY); and Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum (San Antonio, TX) and is in the collection of the Center for Creative Photography (Tucson, AZ), the High Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Lightwork (Syracuse, NY), and in numerous private collections. She lives in Bend, OR.