March 20: Oak and Prairie Restoration: Fire Resilient Landscapes

Natural areas are vital to our wellbeing. Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health, and emotional wellbeing, according to the American psychologist Association. Not only are natural areas vital to us as humans, they are critical to providing habitat for plants and wildlife. Willamalane staff will share their experience implementing large restoration projects at various natural areas, including Thurston Hills Natural Area and Dorris Ranch, to improve conditions for both humans and wildlife. Staff will discuss some threats, such as wildfire, to our local natural areas and what Willamalane is doing to try and address them. You’ll hear about Willamalane’s efforts to balance habitat restoration work with recreation and creating fire resilient landscapes in Springfield.

Jackie Rochefort is the Planning and Natural Resource Manager for Willamalane Park and Recreation District.  Prior to her role with the district, she spent 24 years as the Park Planner for the City of Corvallis Parks and Recreation Department where she designed and managed the construction of almost all of their parks and trails.  In earlier years, she has had the great privilege of working with native plant communities at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and designing environment enclosures for primates at the San Diego Zoo. She has also served as an Adjunct Instructor At UO of where she got her Master of Landscape Architecture.