Restoration Ecologist

Member of FMR staff since: May 2000

Duties: Karen coordinates our “on-land” work protecting and restoring prairie, wetlands, forest and other ecosystems that are crucial to a healthy Mississippi River.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s degree in conservation biology, both from the University of Minnesota.

Professional experience: 20 years of ecology-related work, including environmental consulting, native plant landscaping, avian and insect research, naturalist, and high school science teacher.

Most proud of:

Multiple projects at the 400-acre Empire Wastewater Treatment plant in Farmington, where:

• A 50-acre cropland has been restored to wet meadow and prairie, resulting in greatly increased bird diversity,
• About 1,000 feet of Vermillion River streambanks that were scoured and eroded are now stable and covered with native vegetation.
• The floodplain forest is dominated by native species now, instead of buckthorn.
• And a seeded native grassland is well on its way to having a much greater diversity of native prairie species.

Hastings River Flats Park, where a two-acre lakeshore of mowed turf and mud is now an explosion of wet meadow wildflowers with an abundance of butterflies, and where the 32-acre center of the park, once occupied by five huge petroleum tanks, is now covered with native vegetation on its way to becoming a prairie.

The Sand Coulee, a dry barrens prairie remnant southeast of Hastings, which provides stunning views, diverse plants, and unusual birds. Removing massive amounts of exotic species and restoring fire to the system has restored the structure of the prairie and is preserving its unique features.

Quote: “I value working on the Mississippi River simply because it’s our responsibility to take care of the river we belong to. It’s in every one of us, it’s a part of us. Its health has improved in recent decades, but it’s still not well and it needs our attention.”

Hobbies: Birding, hiking, kayaking, gardening, knitting, quilting

Favorite animal: Cat (all kinds)

Last book read that she really loved: The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan

A few favorite musicians: The Wyrd Sisters, Ann Reed, Bonnie Raitt, and Phil Heywood

Favorite location on the Mississippi River: “So many places, but I’d say I’m pretty enchanted by some of the spots at Spring Lake Park in Dakota County.”

Something most people don’t know about her: She once lived in a chicken coop. Read more…