2015 Meeting Plenary – Jonathon Soll

Jonathan Soll is the Science Division Manager for the Portland, Oregon based Metro Regional Government’s Natural Area Program. He leads a team of natural resources scientists responsible for setting natural area acquisition and restoration priorities and for implementing and tracking restoration projects on Metro’s portfolio of nearly 16,000 acres. Jonathan and his team are also responsible for representing Metro on conservation science issues and working with partners on projects throughout the region.

Jonathan’s training includes a biology degree from Reed College and a Master’s degree in Forest Ecosystem Analysis from the University of Washington, College of Forest Resources; plus 25 years in the school of hard knocks doing practical conservation biology and natural resources management. Jonathan’s conservation work has focused on three main tracks: restoration ecology, especially controlling invasive species to restore high quality habitat, conservation planning and monitoring for enhancing management effectiveness and developing conservation priorities for large landscapes.
Before joining Metro in 2009 Jonathan worked for the Nature Conservancy for 16 years; the last 10 as Portland Area Preserves Manager and Willamette Basin Conservation Director. Prior to resettling in the Willamette Valley in 1999, he served as Central Washington Project Manager for the Washington Field office of The Nature Conservancy where he managed biodiversity inventory and analysis projects on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the Yakima Training Center.
Jonathan’s favorite wild habitats include oak savanna, open oak-pine-fir woodland and subalpine meadows.