All Critters Great and Small: The Wildlife Research Program of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe

Speaker

Kim Sager-Fradkin is the wildlife program manager for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe in Port Angeles, Washington. She holds a B.S. in wildlife biology from Humboldt State University and an M.S. in wildlife resources from the University of Idaho. Prior to working for the Tribe, Kim worked for the National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey.

Kim’s work has two primary tracks: the first to explore wildlife response to removal of the Elwha dams, and the second to contribute to tribal subsistence harvest activities by monitoring elk and deer populations across the north Olympic Peninsula. Her most current research focuses on mountain lion genetics, dispersal patterns and diet.

Moderator

Dr. Jenise Bauman is a restoration ecologist and professor at Western Washington University in Huxley College of the Environment on the Peninsulas.  She earned her Ph.D. from Miami University, M.S. from West Virginia University, and B.S. at Eastern Kentucky University.  Dr. Bauman is initiating projects that are focused on the restoration of coal mine landscapes in the Appalachian forests, the recovery of riparian forests in the Pacific Northwest, and the reconstruction of estuaries in urban areas of the Western Washington peninsulas.  Her research couples field methods with molecular techniques to better understand vegetation establishment, plant interactions, and system recovery in disturbed soils.  Research foci include belowground interactions of beneficial fungi during restoration, impact of invasive species on plant-fungal mutualisms, and plant pathology within forest restoration.

Moderator

Alex Tadio is the Program Coordinator & Advisor for Huxley College on the Peninsulas at Western Washington University. A Huxley alum, he earned his BS from Western Washington University in Environmental Science. Alex utilizes his academic history and program knowledge to advise current and prospective Huxley on the Peninsulas students. He enjoys being an environmental steward and connecting with the community!