Our Team

Bio:

Jefferson joined ONDA in 2008. As our Riparian Restoration Manager, he handles all of our riparian restoration activities.

Originally from Maine, Jeff graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology. He earned a master’s degree at University of Alaska-Fairbanks, studying caribou habitat use and Peregrine falcon nesting success.  As the biological inventory coordinator for the National Park Service, he helped organize and finalize vertebrate and plant inventories for more than 19 million acres of Arctic parks. While working as a contractor for the U.S. Army in Hawaii, he developed native plants monitoring and management programs, with a focus on the Nene, Io, and Hawaiian hoary bats.

At ONDA, Jefferson designs and implements riparian restoration projects focused on addressing the factors preventing beavers from managing their habitat.  This has led to the development of the BeaverHOOD Strategy, which guides a practitioner in achieving the goal of creating more beaver managed floodplains.   Jefferson also uses this experience in the field to help inform beaver-related legislation, riparian policy, Statewide Working Groups.

He feels particularly lucky to get to spend time with ONDA’s volunteers implementing such meaningful, rewarding projects throughout eastern Oregon!