| January 11 | Dr. Bob Pyle, author. Dr. Robert Michael Pyle has spent his whole life among butterflies and other pollinators. Brought up in Colorado, he studied natural history and conservation at the University of Washington and took his PhD in butterfly conservation ecology at Yale University. He worked for the government of Papua New Guinea on Giant Birdwing Butterfly conservation, and for The Nature Conservancy as Northwest Land Steward. In 1971, as a Fulbright Scholar in England, he founded the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, now a nationwide concern based in Portland and the largest pollinator protection team in the world. An independent scholar, biologist, and writer for forty years, he has published 28 books of nonfiction, poetry, and fiction. These include a flight of standard butterfly books such as Chasing Monarchs, Mariposa Road, the Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies, and The Butterflies of Cascadia. Residing on a rural tributary of the Lower Columbia River, Bob continues to study the butterflies, bees, and waterbears of the Willapa Hills and beyond. | Pollinators, Plants, and People on the Edge of What's Left
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| January 18 | Dr. Lincoln Best OSU Extension Apiculture program
Dr. Best is the taxonomist for the Oregon Bee Atlas and an educator for the Master Melittologist program. He serves a broad community of investigators in the PNW and serves as a director for the Native Bee Society of British Columbia. | The Oregon Bee Fauna And Its Flora As Discovered By Volunteer Master Melittologists
The Master Melittologist program at Oregon State University trains volunteers to document bee biodiversity and floral relations. Their effort has revealed many new and beautiful relationships within the state.
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| January 25 | Samantha Derrenbacher, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Newport
Samantha (Sam) Derrenbacher is a Wildlife Biologist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service where she serves as the Oregon silverspot butterfly lead biologist. She spends warm summer days researching the butterfly, planting native species, assessing habitat quality, and working alongside partners for a net positive effect to the habitat. No day is the same in her line of work and when stuck in the office, she is often leading the range wide working group, consulting on species take, and writing grants to fund critical research and recovery tasks. Sam was born and raised in New Hampshire and prior work included studying three listed butterfly species for the NH Fish and Game, researching climate change impacts to estuaries for the Marine Biological Laboratory, and backpacking with underprivileged youth. Her love of the environment and strong desire for conservation is built into her DNA. Her conservation heroes are her parents — they both dedicated their lives to teaching others about the beautiful natural world and eliciting a passion for conservation in the next generation. When not working, Sam can be found hiking, biking, skiing, and paddling across the great outdoors with her husband, Perry, and two pups, Ike and Tumalo.
| Saving Silverspot: Working to recover threatened and endangered butterflies. |
| February 1 | Gerard Rodriguez, Indigenous Land Justice advisor at PLACE landscape architecture.
Over his career, Gerard has worked in education, environmental sciences, and Tribal - Intergovernmental affairs to elevate Indigenous communities and address the impacts of colonization. Gerard continues these efforts through regional design projects to create culturally informed spaces, and restore and protect land and water. This work has taken place through several organizations, including Willamette Falls Trust, Tryon Creek State Park, the Confluence project, and several state and local agencies. Gerard also serves in several board positions including Tributaries Network, an all-Indigenous non-profit, and Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts, a studio and creative center located on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
| Restoring the circle: Indigenous understandings of healing landscapes |
| February 8 | Dr. Olivia Messinger Carril, Santa Fe Girls School
Olivia Messinger Carril is a distinguished entomologist and author, renowned for her expertise in native bee biology and conservation. With a rich background in field research and a passion for pollinators, Carril has made significant contributions to our understanding of the vital role bees play in ecosystems. Her engaging style and commitment to environmental education inspire audiences to appreciate and protect the intricate world of native bees.
| Bee Diversity. Worldwide, the intricate world of bees encompasses over 20,000 species, playing an indispensable role across ecosystems. In North America alone, close to 4,000 bee species have been identified, with the discovery of new species continuing each year. Ranging in size from smaller than a pinhead to larger than a thumb, these remarkable pollinators sport a vibrant spectrum of colors, shapes, and life histories. This diversity leads the curious mind to wonder: Which bee species are the rarest? Which are the most common, and why? What ecoregions have the greatest diversity? What bees inhabit cities?
Dr. Carril will delve into the fascinating diversity and geographical distribution of bees, and the pivotal role they play in maintaining a robust food web.
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| February 15 | Jeff Everett, US Fish and Wildlife Service | (Bumble bee listing and recovery) |
| February 22 | Dr. Erica Henry, postdoctoral researcher, WSU | (At-risk butterflies and climate change) |
| February 29 | Julia Low and Amber Valdez, Oregon Zoo | (Culturing butterflies for conservation) |
| March 7 | Dr. Scott Black, Executive Director of Xerxes
Scott Black is an internationally renowned conservationist who has been at the forefront of the conservation movement for three decades. He is executive director of the Xerces Society, which under his leadership has become the premier invertebrate conservation organization in North America. Scott’s work has led to protection and restoration of habitat on millions of acres of rangelands, forests, and farmland as well as protection for many endangered species. He is an author of the best-selling Attracting Native Pollinators and Gardening for Butterflies and has written more than two hundred other publications, including a recent chapter on climate change and insects. His work has been honored with several awards, including the 2011 Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences Honor Alumnus Award, the U.S. Forest Service Wings Across the Americas 2012 Butterfly Conservation Award and the 2019 Wings Across the Americas International Research Partnership Award. Scott also serves on the science advisory committee of the Nature-Based Climate Solutions, brings together cities, resource specialists, community-based organizations, scientists, innovators, land managers, and others to accelerate the implementation of carbon removal strategies that simultaneously improve the social, economic, and environmental resilience of local communities.
| A Win-Win for Pollinators
Nature-Based Climate Solutions Address Climate Change and Pollinator Conservation
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| March 14 | Eileen Stark, Eco-landscape designer/Author. Eileen Stark is a Portland-based ecological landscape designer, consultant, author and photographer. Her academic background includes studies in biology, wildlife ecology and landscape design. As a deeply committed conservationist, she strives to create awareness of the myriad creatures with which we share this fragile planet. Her book, Real Gardens Grow Natives: Design, Plant, and Enjoy a Healthy Northwest Garden, is a passionate guide to gardening for both biodiversity and beauty, using humane landscaping methods. Prior to writing her book, she worked in the animal protection field. Visit her website at realgardensgrownatives.com. | Native by Design: Nurturing Habitat at Home for Pollinators |