Our first speaker for 2025, as we focus on topics related to climate change, is Grace Powell discussing forest health. She is a forestry and ecological restoration specialist with the Taos Soil and Water Conservation District. She is dedicated to advancing landscape resilience and community-based forest management. She holds a master’s degree in Natural Resources and GIS from Oregon State University and serves as a key leader in the Taos SWCD Forest Health Program, where she has successfully implemented fore health projects across Taos County.
Her work spans GIS analysis, dendrochronology research, grant writing, and large-scale forest monitoring, often in collaboration with USGS, Oregon State University, and the University of New Mexico. She plays a central role in interdisciplinary research on tree-ring growth response to thinning and watershed-scale restoration. She is actively involved in developing regional ecological restoration strategies. Her expertise bridges science, policy, and on-the-ground implementation, making her a driving force in shaping the future of forest and watershed restoration in the Southwest.