Northwest Nature Matters

Working together to keep our wild places wild

Residents of the Pacific Northwest value beautiful natural scenery, clean air and water, and abundant outdoor resources. Conservation is important to us, but scientifically accurate information can be inaccessible and difficult to source for those outside of the field. The goal of the NWNM podcast is to serve as an antidote; to give you the opportunity to hear directly from the experts, through long-form conversation about natural history and conservation.

Meet Your Hosts

Monty Gregg is the Forest Wildlife Biologist for the Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland. In this position he manages the wildlife program for the Forest and Grassland and supports the District Wildlife Biologists through their efforts to maintain and restore habitat function for the variety of species endemic to the Forest and Grassland.

Through much of his career he has conducted habitat restoration efforts for locally and regionally important species, including everything from mule deer and elk to federally listed species such as the Northern Spotted Owl. Habitat restoration through partnership development has been an area of interest for Monty over the past 15 years.

Monty works at both the Regional and National level to develop partnership opportunities for the Forest Service with various wildlife conservation organizations. He has a B.S. in Wildlife Sciences from Oregon State University.

Jess Bynum is the Communications and Design Specialist for the Oregon Wildlife Foundation. She wears many hats throughout her work, but has a particular interest in science communication for non-scientists. She believes that information should be accessible to all, and that community involvement is key for the future of conservation.

Her passion for the environment began at a young age, thanks to the nature-focused summer camp she attended in Florida as a child. She knows firsthand the impact that positive outdoor experiences at a young age have on creating environmentally-conscious adults, and credits her career to the 13 summers (and counting!) she spent as a camper, counselor, and volunteer.

Jess holds a B.S. in Geography from Portland State University, where she studied ecology, GIS, sense of place, and cultural geography.