Program

Join Emilie Kohler and Morgan Bucher from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for an engaging talk exploring the invasive barred owl as a case study of how human-driven range expansion can harm native species. We’ll examine the competitive relationship between barred owls and the endangered spotted owl, including how barred owls alter food webs and threaten other vulnerable wildlife. Emilie will discuss current conservation strategies aimed at addressing these complex ecological challenges. Morgan will talk about ongoing acoustic survey efforts in the Teanaway Community Forest, and how data collected in this manner can help inform resource management decisions.

Emilie Kohler is a conservation biologist and ornithologist with over a decade of experience in wildlife research and species recovery. Her career began in the temperate rainforests of Olympic National Park, where she monitored Northern Spotted Owls and supported the reintroduction of Pacific fishers. While based in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, she led critical research on endangered and sensitive species, including the Mariana Common Moorhen, Micronesian Megapode, and Mariana Swiftlet. She currently serves as a species lead for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, focusing on recovery actions for species of greatest conservation need including the Northern Spotted Owl and western gray squirrel. Emilie holds a Master’s degree from Florida Atlantic University and has presented her work at national and international conferences.

Morgan Bucher is a WDFW biologist for the Teanaway Community Forest, where she implements ecological monitoring related to habitat restoration, bioacoustics, water temperature, and wildlife presence. She has a background in conservation work based in the Pacific Northwest, having spent field seasons at the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, Hells Canyon, and in Lincoln County, WA. Morgan received a Master’s in Biology from the University of North Texas where her research focused on aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages as they relate to leaf litter decomposition in small streams across the U.S.

Join us on Thursday January 15th at 7pm at Hal Holmes for this in-person discussion. Refreshments will be offered, and everyone is welcome to hear about this controversial subject.