Katherine Stilwell

Conduct field transect sampling of vegetation and soils in montane meadow habitats, identifying plants and collecting GIS data to support invasive species impact assessments and restoration planning.

Propagated and maintained California native plants (watering, pruning, pest management), processed and tested seed viability, and implemented BMPs to prevent Phytophthora in nursery and restoration stock.

Captured digital specimen images, added skeletal metadata and barcodes, and transcribed herbarium label data to improve digitization and accessibility of the collection.

Led crews surveying for threatened and sensitive plants using GIS and FieldMaps, removed invasive species, maintained herbarium specimens, and trained interns on herbarium and BMP protocols.

Surveyed Forest Service land for TES plants, removed invasive weeds, maintained herbarium records, assisted wildlife monitoring, and submitted botanical data to NRIS.

Assisted Forest Service resource staff with transect monitoring and specimen collection for genetic testing, studied morphologic variation in Eriogonum kennedyi var. austromontanum, and conducted riparian monitoring.

Completed an Associate of Science in Plant Science with certificates in Nursery Management and Horticulture Science, emphasizing practical propagation and restoration skills.

Grade: Summa cum laude

Activities and societies: Honors Capstone; coursework in plant taxonomy, geospatial analysis, and scientific writing; semester research assistantship

Graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, completing an honors capstone on Pebble Plains Habitat Management combining field surveys and data analysis.