Chris began working with the northern spotted owl in 1992, when every day presented the chance to dynamically interact with a bird if you were "willing to put a little shoulder into your work," as Chris says. In twenty-five years collecting Coast Range demography data, Chris has experienced dramatic changes in the northern spotted owl population and feels their relative absence on the land. Working with the same birds for many years led to deeply rooted relationships between Chris, the animals, and the mountains around them. He fondly remembers charismatic birds flying up from great distances to greet him as old friends. Chris approaches field work through a naturalist's lens, and he considers every day an opportunity to learn about, see, or touch something new. Even in forests he has traversed many times before, Chris finds himself continually seeking the unknown. His depth of experience collecting spotted owl demography data gives Chris the ability to conduct surveys with care and precision, gathering the best possible data which he hopes will lead to a clearer understanding of the world and a greater respect for other animals' autonomy on the forested landscape.
Chris sees field work as the most essential part of wildlife research, and he is excited to continue working on the Coast Range to deploy ARUs for bioacoustics analysis. His hope is that through quality data collection, well informed scientific analysis can assist land managers in making the best decisions for the future. In the off season, he works on database management, serves as a liaison for various data analyses, and gets things ready for the next season in the field.
Ever enamored with the forest, Chris spends in his free time mushroom hunting, finding new nooks and crannies, expanding his herd of one-thousand wild west coast lily seedlings, and observing the world around him.
Chris sees field work as the most essential part of wildlife research, and he is excited to continue working on the Coast Range to deploy ARUs for bioacoustics analysis. His hope is that through quality data collection, well informed scientific analysis can assist land managers in making the best decisions for the future. In the off season, he works on database management, serves as a liaison for various data analyses, and gets things ready for the next season in the field.
Ever enamored with the forest, Chris spends in his free time mushroom hunting, finding new nooks and crannies, expanding his herd of one-thousand wild west coast lily seedlings, and observing the world around him.