About

Data science, ecology, and conservation based in the Methow Valley.

Based in Washington’s Methow Valley, Elfinwood Ecology is focused on furthering conservation efforts using data driven decision-making and education.

I have nearly 20 years of experience as a field botanist, vegetation ecologist, and data scientist. I’m currently employed at AECOM, an environmental and engineering consulting firm, and I specialize in vegetation and ecosystem classification and mapping. My academic training includes vegetation and landscape ecology, soil science, and data science, including data management using PostgreSQL, and data analysis using R and Python.

Currently my research and practice interests include: (a) classification and mapping of local-scale ecosystems, vegetation, soils, and wildlife habitats for use in landscape evaluations and assessments in support of Inventory and Monitoring, FERC and NEPA permitting, and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS); (b) developing landscape-scale models that incorporate ecological processes that control the patterns of vegetation and soils across the landscape; (c) designing and implementing long-term ecological monitoring studies for use in detecting change through time; and (d) rare and sensitive plant surveys.

Over the past 20 years my projects have spanned across the central and northern Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Northwest, and Alaska and have included field studies in environments ranging from coastal to montane, riverine to alpine, and temperate rainforest to arctic tundra.