I am an Ethnobotanist with broad interdisciplinary training in plant organismal biology, ecology and anthropology. My research examines the interactions between plants and humans in linked social-ecological systems. I want to know how local ecological knowledge can inform broad scale conservation research and action. Using participatory research tools and citizen science,  I work with a community to uncover patterns of biodiversity across a social landscape to address systems-level questions of the resilience of coupled human-natural systems. I enjoy working with botanists, social scientists and systems thinkers and bringing my interdisciplinary approach to the large conservation and sustainability issues. I look forward to sharing my approach to understanding the interactions and feedbacks between stakeholder’s local ecological knowledge and the local natural resource base. As a Portland migrant, I am impressed with the local engagement in conservation research and action and think this is an great place to ask questions regarding the interactions between plants and humans in a predominately urban social-ecological system.