Jules Riley, Executive Officer, Programmer & Hydrologist
530-310-4478
jlriley@fs.fed.us

20+ years experience with the Forest Service working as a Programmer/Analyst and Hydrologist. Programming experience with Microsoft, Oracle and ESRI software components including SQL PL/SQL, SQLPLUS, Oracle Developer, Oracle Designed, SQL Server, Access, Visual Basic, Visual Studio .Net, Python, ArcGIS, Crystal Reports. Experience with watershed restoration, cumulative watershed effects analysis, stream, water quality and soil monitoring, watershed condition assessments, NEPA, interdisplinary team process. Education includes B.S. in Hydrology from Colorado State University and GIS Certificate from California State University, Chico.

What I can offer:

Database modeling and application development for client/server, web, and mobile applications using Microsoft, Oracle and ESRI software components including SQL PL/SQL, SQLPLUS, Oracle Developer, Oracle Designed, SQL Server, Access, Visual Studio .Net, VBA, Python, ArcGIS, Crystal Reports.  

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Lauren Payne, Executive Officer & Silviculturist
530-310-4268
ljpayne@fs.fed.us

Twenty four years with the Forest Service, including seven years as a District Silviculturist. Experience in inventory sample design, stand exams and vegetation analysis using GIS and remote sensing data. Develop Silvicultural prescriptions and marking guidelines for multiple forest health, wildlife habitat, and fuels objectives. Advanced FVS/FFE modeling of vegetation and fuels/fire behavior projections under varied management scenarios. Eight years experience managing a large reforestation / TSI program. Fifteen years experience developing and administering service contracts; qualified COR level III. Six seasons experience in fire suppression. Education includes a B.S. in Natural Resource Management from California State University, Humboldt, graduate work in hydrology and completion of the Pacific Southwest Region's Natural Resource Institute resulting in Silviculture Certification.

What I can offer:

Silvicultural analysis of forest conditions, stand dynamics and forest change projections using stand data, remote sensing data, GIS and FVS/FFE modeling. Silvicultural prescriptions and implementation guidelines to meet complex and diverse management objectives. Project-level fire risk assessment using ArcFuels. Service contract development and administration. Reforestation planning.

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Anna E. "Betsy" Hammet
208-265-6667
ahammet@fs.fed.us 

Skills and Expertise

• NEPA specialist and interdisciplinary team leader
• Writer / Editor
• Level III Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)
• Botanist

Education and Experience

I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology with a minor in botany.  I began my Forest Service career in 1977 and have been a firefighter, timber cruiser, stand examiner, reforestation specialist, Level III COR and botanist.  I have led interdisciplinary teams in the preparation of environmental impact statements, environmental assessments (including those under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act), categorical exclusions for small projects, and watershed analysis.

My varied natural resources experience facilitates successful integration of multiple resource needs and objectives in project- and watershed-level analyses.

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Trish Johnson, Wildlife Biologist
(530) 601-1837
pjohnson03@fs.fed.us   

Areas of Expertise

• Biological Evaluations and Assessments
• Environmental Assessments
• Management Indicator Reports
• Monitoring Reports
• Biological contributions to Environmental Impact Statements

 Experience

I have 18 years of experience working for the US Forest Service as a Wildlife Biologist with 12 years in Region 5 and 6 ½ years in Region 8.  I have conducted formal and informal consultation the US Fish & Wildlife Service.  I have a high degree of familiarity with NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, NFMA, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.  I have the experience necessary to conduct protocol surveys for multiple Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive species, as well as project field review and pre-implementation surveys.  My Region 5 experience includes: species associated with the Northwest Forest Plan including northern spotted owls, species designated as Survey and Manage, as well as local endemics.  I have also worked in the Sierra Nevada forests with California spotted owls, fisher, and marten.  I have multiple years of experience conducting surveys for species such as northern goshawks, bald eagles, spotted owls, forest carnivores (track plate and remote camera), and neotropical migratory birds (mist-netting and point count surveys).  My Region 8 experience includes: 6 ½ years of experience as a district biologist working with red-cockaded woodpeckers, banding nestlings (USFWS handling and banding permit), tree climbing (certified Region 8 tree climber), presence/absence and nesting status surveys.  I have also conducted herpetological surveys targeting Louisiana pine snakes using box traps.

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Rhonda Hammer, IT Specialist / Database Administration
530-841-4518
rhammer@fs.fed.us

I have an AA in Business Administration and 24+ years experience with the US Forest Service. I provides services in database support and application development, data migration, web page development, and database user support including training sessions.

What I can offer:

I provide database administration and customer support for the Forest Activities Tracking (FACTS) application for silviculture, timber, fire, invasive species, and spatial analysis (GIS). I also provide application support to Common Stand Exam (CSE), NRIS FSVEG, Wildlife & TES Plants, field data recorders, oracle applications, and Microsoft Access applications. Database support includes data analysis for reporting, troubleshooting, queries, training sessions, generating maps, and end-user helpdesk assistance.  I also provide expertise in web page design and management.

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Cedra Hill, GIS Specialist
530-370-8627
cedrahill@fs.fed.us

Areas of Expertise:

• ArcGIS
• NEPA mapping
• GIS data analysis
• Watershed Analysis mapping
• Database analysis, migration, and management
• Oracle
• MS Access and MS Excel
• Automated Lands Program

Experience:

With a strong background in science, I use GIS to provide in-depth spatial data analysis and mapping for a wide range of projects and resource specializations. Seven years of experience with the Forest Service has enhanced my knowledge of cartographic techniques, NEPA, database management, data migration, and resource specialist needs.

Interest in environmental science and biology led me into the data management of fisheries studies on the Oregon Coast for four years. These studies also provided experience in land ownership research and analysis, which I continued with the Forest Service Automated Lands Program data migration, working extensively with both the spatial and tabular data of ALP. I developed experience with Oracle and MS Access, and have transferred some of that knowledge to projects such as Oracle forms and database migration and NRIS database migration.

Providing to diverse resource specialists the in-depth data analysis and high quality mapping products has lent itself to a wide resource base, quality of experience, and diversity of skills that I can provide.
 

What I can offer:

Mapping in ArcGIS, database analysis with SQL, MS Access database management, analysis and stewardship of land ownership status and use restriction data.

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Christine West, Botanist & GIS Specialist
530-370-4755
christinewest@fs.fed.us

 Areas of Expertise

• Botanical research (analysis, monitoring, restoration)
• Rare plant and invasive weed field surveys
• Biological Assessments and Evaluations (NEPA)
• Geographic Information System (GIS) Analysis and Cartography
• Vegetation Mapping and Classification

Experience

I have worked for the Forest Service since 2002 as a botanist and general biologist.  Much of my work has focused on northern California Forests (Shasta-Trinity, Tahoe, Lassen, Plumas, Six Rivers, and Mendocino) however I have also worked on several projects in southern California, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Alaska and Texas. 

Most recently my experience has been centered on rare plant research and surveys, noxious weed inventories and treatments, NEPA documentation, GIS mapping and analysis, and database management (NRIS, FSVeg, MS Access).  Prior to joining the Forest Service I spent 8 years working as an interpretive naturalist for various science schools throughout the western United States.

My education includes a B.S. in Natural Resources and an M.S. in Forestry and Wildland Resources from California State University, Humboldt.  My master’s research compared high spatial resolution images and mapping software to classify vegetation at the alliance scale.

Professional Memberships include: CNPS, Ecological Society of America, and the American Society for Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing.  Publications include: Shiels A. B., C. A. West, L. Weiss, P. D. Klawinski, and L. R. Walker. 2008. Soil factors predict initial plant colonization on Puerto Rican landslides. Plant Ecology 195: 165-178. Certifications include: wetland delineation (Wetland Training Institute).

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Benjamin Newburn, Fire Management Specialist
530-339-0024
bnewburn@fs.fed.us

Areas of Expertise

• Fuels management planning, implementation and monitoring
• Fire management planning and assessment
• Specialist and team leader roles in project planning (NEPA)
• Fire behavior/risk analysis and interpretation
• Program reviews and facilitated learning analysis
• Technical knowledge transfer related to fire management activities

Experience

I have served in various roles within fire management with experience on engines, crews and aviation resources beginning in the mid-90s. My past experience includes positions with the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in Montana, Washington and California including fire management experience throughout the western and southern states.

A significant portion of my career has been given to fuels management and the use of fire on the landscape. A prominent part being prescribed fire, management of wildland fire for resource benefit and training/educating others in the application of fire in ecosystems. This experience is centered on planning, developing implementation strategies and project execution as well as fire behavior modeling and interpretation.

My education includes a B.S. in Biology with an emphasis in Botany and minors in Mathematics and Chemistry from Eastern Washington University. Qualifications and memberships include: Association for Fire Ecology member, California Fuels Committee member-at-large, Type 1 Prescribed Fire Burn Boss (RXB1), Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS), Type 3 Incident Commander (ICT3), and Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN) amongst others.

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Beth Stewart, Project Leader/Forester
530-601-1519
bethstewart@fs.fed.us

Areas of Expertise

• Silviculture
• Stand exam design and data collection methods
• Silviculture resource report writing and analysis (NEPA)
• Prescription writing and silviculture resources management recommendations
• Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis and Cartography
• Contracting Officer's Representative (COR)
• Contract Preparation

Experience

I have worked for the Forest Service on a permanent basis since 2003 as a forester with expertise and extensive training in silviculture.  Much of my work has focused on northern California Forests, specifically on the Plumas National Forest.  Prior to this, I worked seasonally for the Forest Service on the Gila National Forest in Silver City, New Mexico and also for the National Park Service in Glacier National Park in Montana.

Most recently my experience has been centered on management recommendations related to the forest resource, NEPA documentation, GIS mapping and analysis, and database management (NRIS, FSVeg, MS Access) and contract preparation and administration.  I am actively engaged in learning the latest science and strive to incorporate this into projects that I work on.

My education includes a B.S. in Natural Resource Sciences with concentration in forestry from Washington State University in Pullman, WA.  I have completed Master’s program work through the Utah State University in the Continuing Education in Ecosystem Management Program.

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