Katie Laushman
My work is focused on the development of restoration techniques for drylands of the Southwest.
Biography
As the Field Manager for RestoreNet, I work to build collaborations between land managers and scientists through the development of experimental restoration sites. As our network has grown, I have been involved in the planning and installation of field sites stretching from the Colorado Plateau to the Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Mojave Deserts, and enjoy working with university collaborators and interns to restore both public and private lands. Prior to working in dryland restoration, I studied invasive species issues in the forests of the Midwest and led trail crews around the country.
Education
M.S. Environment and Resources, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison WI, May 2017
B.A. Biology, Earlham College, Richmond, IN, May 2012
Relevant Past Positions
Student Conservation Association, Zion NP & Voyageurs NP, 2017 & 2019
Conservation Crew Member
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 2014 – 2017
Introductory Biology Teaching Assistant
Student Conservation Association, ME, AK, SC, 2014-2016
Leader of High School Conservation Crews
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ottawa National Forest, MI, and Madison, WI 2013 - 2014
Field and Lab Technician
Earlham College New Zealand Semester Program, New Zealand, 2013
Program Assistant
Chicago Botanic Garden Conservation and Land Management Internship, Lakeview, OR, 2012
Bureau of Land Management Vegetation Monitoring Intern
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 2011
REU Student/Research Assistant
Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve, AK 2009
Invasive Species Monitoring Intern
Science and Products
Best Management Practices
Best management practices (BMPs) can be used to help prevent the spread of invasive species and help mitigate the consequences of invasive species once they have become established. BMPs provide a framework for natural resource managers to follow to effectively deal with, and prevent the spread of, invasive species.
RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers and land managers are co-producing a network of restoration field trial sites on DOI and surrounding lands in the southwestern U.S. The network systematically tests restoration treatments across a broad range of landscape, soil, and climate conditions. Each site in the network is used to test suitable seed mixes and treatments that promote plant...
RAMPS: Restoration Assessment & Monitoring Program for the Southwest
The Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) seeks to assist U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and other land management agencies in developing successful techniques for improving land condition in dryland ecosystems of the southwestern United States. Invasion by non-native species, wildfire, drought, and other disturbances are growing...
Wildfire risk and hazardous fuel reduction treatments along the US-Mexico border: A review of the science (1985-2019)
The ecosystems along the border between the United States and Mexico are at increasing risk to wildfire due to interactions among climate, land-use, and fuel loads. A wide range of fuel treatments have been implemented to mitigate wildfire and its threats to valued resources, yet we have little information about treatment effectiveness. To fill...
Laushman, Katherine Mary; Munson, Seth M.; Titus, Timothy N. RestoreNet: An emerging restoration network reveals controls on seeding success across dryland ecosystems
1. Drylands are Earth’s largest terrestrial biome and support one third of the global population. However, they are also highly vulnerable to land degradation. Despite widespread demand for dryland restoration and rehabilitation, little information is available to help land managers effectively reestablish native perennial vegetation across...
Havrilla, Caroline Ann; Munson, Seth M.; Mccormick, Molly; Laushman, Katherine Mary; Balazs, Kathleen R.; Butterfield, Bradley J.