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By Miko Ruhlen. Jun. 1, 2017. “My favorite part of my job is that I am always learning something new. And to me, the best scientists,” said Sara Woods, “are the best students, because we are always having to adjust, realign, to start moving forward, then get another piece of the puzzle.”
Since 2015, Woods began the lead role in stewardship and restoration of the Friends of the Columbia Gorge land trust properties. “We have over 1,000 acres of land within the Columbia Gorge National Scenic area,” she said. “Most of my job is stewarding that land. What that means is managing it, improving it, and restoring it the best we can.”
Sara Woods is scientist and student. She completed both an A.S. in Ecology and a B.S. in Environmental Science. After settling in the Gorge in 2003, she completed a Master’s degree in Environmental Management at Portland State University. Her lust for learning shows in her diverse field work studies: southwest willow flycatcher, spotted owl, raptor banding, pine martens and fishers, Washington ground squirrels, salmon, bull trout and lamprey, botany, weed eradication, wildfire, GIS, teaching ecology to school children.
Please enjoy the video below featuring Sara Woods.
This is Part 3 of the Gorge Scientists series of videos by EnviroGorge.
Wood’s job at Friends of the Columbia Gorge involves a variety of tasks including collecting baseline data on species presence, working on management and restoration plans, coordinating volunteers native seed collection, trail maintenance, and weed pulls. “Invasive weeds are one of our main issues,” she said. “They are everywhere and they are always going to be here, but when we have special places that we want to preserve we try to focus on those areas. Mosier plateau is such a gorgeous, beautiful, biodiverse area that is one place we focus our efforts. Also on the Washington side at the Lyle Cherry Orchards.”
“The problem with non-native invasive plants is that they out compete the native species and potentially form a mono-culture or a single species covering the landscape. Why that’s a problem is that it limits biodiversity. A native species can also be invasive, but typically they are more in balance with the native species. Why non-natives and invasives tend to be a problem is that they don’t have all the other parts of their ecosystem that they come from that keep it in check. So it is allowed to reproduce without having any check or balance.”
She uses education and signs to explain that it’s important to stay on the marked trails. In some areas, hikers have veered off trails to get a view or photo, trampling sensitive plants. She also suggests that hikers and volunteers use a boot brush to clean shoes and gear to help stop the spread of noxious weed seeds.
Why preserve native habitat?
“A functioning, healthy, biodiverse ecosystem offers ecosystem services,” Woods said. “For example: plants filter water and clean air, the roots of trees stabilize banks from erosion, bees pollinate flowers. All of those offerings the ecosystem gives humans, go away when biodiversity goes away.”
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