Rita Morris Email & Phone Number

San Bernardino National Forest

Responsibilities:• Serves as case manager for existing and new lands and recreation special uses• Coordinates with other natural resource disciplines to ensure resource protection and program requirements are included in project planning and execution• Participates in the development of long and short-range projects for special uses and recreation resources for agency guidelines and direction• Guides, instructs, and communicates with members of the public, private businesses, volunteers, and other government agencies for special use proposals and existing uses• Participates in the development and administration of annual work plans for both lands and recreational special uses in compliance with agency guidelines and direction• Inspects and guides the processes of wilderness and recreation special uses, administers special use authorizations for outfitter and guides, recreation events, as well as other recreation and lands special uses• Red Carded - REAF certified for fire assignments• Served on San Bernardino National Forest's Covid Incident Management Team as Lead Contact Assessor/Contact Tracing with over 400 employees within organization

San Bernardino, Ca

Works with a team of technicians and professionals to collect natural resources data from field sites and aerial imagery. Assists in locating field sites using aerial photographs, GPS and topographic maps. Collects a variety of data including forestry, botanical, and geographic measurements according to nationally standardized protocol and field procedures. Obtains data on: tree growth and mortality; forest type, stand size and stand age; anthropogenic treatments and/or natural disturbances; insects and disease; soil attributes; and understory vegetation composition. Assists in protocol interpretation when assessing complex or unusual situations. Uses resources such as botanical keys or plant association guides to identify plants and site conditions encountered. Records all measurements utilizing a portable data recorder; completes accurate and concise plot summaries. Independently edits and loads plot data on a regular basis. Assists with preparation for field work including reviewing historical plot data, researching and recording ownership information and contacting landowners and managers.This position is located with the Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNW), Portland Forestry Sciences Laboratory (PFSL). Responsible for performing a variety of recurring and complex duties in support of the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program. FIA is part of a nationwide program which collects, processes, analyzes, evaluates, and publishes comprehensive information on forestland and other related renewable resources of the United States. Inventory data are widely used by industrial leaders, forest managers, and government agencies in making policy decisions and conducting independent research. The mission of the PFSL data collection team is to collect high quality data on plots in Washington, Oregon and California and to work with other FIA units to ensure the quality, completeness and usefulness of inventory data.

San Francisco Bay Area

Natural Resources Management Internship with the Golden Gate Conservancy in conjunction with the National Park Service. Field work (85%) long days over steep and uneven slopes, non-weather exclusive. Conducted wildlife surveys of endangered Mission Blue Butterfly (Aricia icarioides missionensis, including a translocation project), Threatened Red legged frog (Rana draytonii), Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), Spotted owl (Strixoccidentalis) and surveys/release of endangered coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Further monitoring involved California Pond Turtles (Actinemys marmorat) with radio telemetry surveys and ultrasonic micro- phone surveys for Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis) in forested areas. All surveying followed unique protocol of each species, consisting of both team oriented and individual responsibilities.Additional duties include vegetation management (mechanical and chemical), habitat data collection, daily note taking, planning and implementation of surveys, and equipment maintenance. Office work (15%) constitutes data/file management and archival, population mapping utilizing GIS, using CalFlora’s Weed Manager cloudbased platform programs for management prioritization, planning, collaboration between partner groups, and learning R statistical software. Excellent communication skills strengthened and refined between collaboration with many partner organizations.

Grants Pass, Oregon

All data taken at a series of permanently established research plots on a systematic grid, located by utilizing GPS, aerial photos and topographic maps. Duties in the field include:• Identifying trees, shrubs, grasses and forbs to the species level utilizing multiple keys• Recording landscape characteristics like fuel loads, physiographic class, slope, aspect, forest type, and soil depth• Examining soil and forest floor characteristics after specific protocol transect establishment including duff depth, litter depth, and forest floor downed woody material structure and composition • Documenting tree growth and mortality including diameter at breast height, length, age, decay class, determination of death cause and year of death• Describing treatments, histories, forest pathogens and diseases• Mapping structure and composition of vegetation in circular area plots• Updating GPS location coordinatesResponsibilities further involve office work (10%) reviewing collected field data for typographic errors, technical write ups with detailed information, visually mapping boundaries and condition changes on inventory plot, and uploading final documents, GPS coordinates and all other inventory information into the Pacific Northwest Research Station database. All measurements, data edits, and monumentation on plot locations follow specific format detailed by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program protocol. Fieldwork (90%) regularly includes infrequent schedules, long days of standing/driving, extensive hiking and backpacking in remote and rugged areas (up to 90% slopes) during all weather conditions carrying packs up to 40lb, and frequent extended overnight travel. Frequent off-road and 4 wheel driving skills on unmaintained roads sharpened. Additionally, position follows an industry-leading safety check-in and reporting procedure within the Forest Service Safety system.

Grants Pass, Oregon

Worked alongside a Biological Scientist and multiple crew members inventorying research plots on a systematic grid for the USDA Forest Service, located by utilizing GPS, aerial photos and topographic maps.Duties in the field included:• Identified trees, shrubs, grasses and forbs to the species level utilizing multiple keys• Examined soil and forest floor characteristics • Documented tree growth and mortality • Described treatments, histories, forest pathogens and diseases • Mapped structure and composition of vegetation in circular area plots• Recorded landscape characteristics like fuel loads, physiographic class, slope, aspect, forest type, soil depth• Taking GPS location coordinatesResponsibilities further involved office work (10%) reviewing collected field data for typographic errors, technical write ups with detailed information, visually mapping boundaries and condition changes on inventory plot, and uploading final documents, GPS coordinates and all other inventory information into the Pacific Northwest Research Station database. All measurements, data edits, and monumentation on plot locations followed specific format detailed by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program protocol. Fieldwork (90%) regularly included infrequent schedules, long days of standing/driving, extensive hiking and backpacking in remote and rugged areas (up to 90% slopes) during all weather conditions carrying packs up to 40lb, and frequent extended overnight travel. Off-road and 4 wheel driving skills on unmaintained roads enhanced. Additionally followed an industry-leading safety check-in and reporting procedures within the Forest Service Safety system. Accomplishments:• Completed 58 inventory plots• Became competent with species ID skills in a new environment• Followed detailed protocol in the field• Served as equal member of crew• Tracked hours served weekly, including inventory plots completed and training hours• Successfully managed living stipend and expenses

The University Of Michigan Biological Station

Provided teaching and research assistance to 23 college students at a Biological Field Station.Duties included:• Leading field exercises and establishing protocols• Class lectures • Teaching technical use of scientific equipment • Recording GPS coordinates• Assisting students in developing and completing group research projects• Support in data organization, statistical tests and analyses • Grading and giving feedback on scientific papers and other assignments• Tutoring • Organizing transportation, meals, and lodgingTopics covered include basic species ID methods and implementation, soil analysis, fire ecology, forest mapping and comparison between types, population and competition studies, water quality and sampling, geological history and modern influences of the area, basic statistics and analyzation, examining scientific literature as well as writing scientifically, and creating interpretive visual representations of data. Additionally taught various methods of utilizing GPS, GIS, SPSS, Microsoft Office Programs, transect/plot establishment, map and compass reading.

The University Of Michigan, Ann Arbor Mi

Responsible for the safe daily transportation of hundreds of people while maintaining a professional persona when addressing passenger questions, concerns, and complaints. Also served as a trainer for new employees in driving competency and safety.• Ability to handle high stress• Ability to attain knowledge to best serve customer needs• Experience in interacting with variety of people and attitudes• Trusted to train and handle inexperienced drivers to bring them to competency• Recipient of "outstanding customer service award"

University Of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, Mi

Completed field coursework in General and Forest Ecosystems. Courses included team focused studies at the individual, population, community, and holistic level – utilizing data collection/analysis from various habitats in quadrant, point, and transect sampling techniques following various protocols for each unique study. Experience gained:• Species ID methods and implementation• Statistical analyses, interpretation and lab reports• Scientific, technical writing skills and presentation• Tree forest inventory techniques• Fuel load aspects of course woody debris structure and composition, litter and duff depth• Landscape attributes such as soil horizons and characterization, aspect, slope, geological historyThese courses further developed proper research techniques, ability to follow specific protocol, data collection organization and manipulation, and improved time management efficiency and communication. Field classes required long days on rugged terrain in all weather. In addition to class work, students completed two student led research projects. My first project conducted a comparative study examining soil ammonium and nitrate content throughout a secondary successional chronosequence. Soil core extractions were sampled throughout a single forest class in varying stand ages from established burns, conducted roughly every 20 years. Soil samples sieved to remove litter from soil, then separated into two samples for fumigation and non-fumigation. Both samples were run through a potassium sulfate extraction, and then analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy and compared microbial biomass, ammonium, and nitrate (fumigated content - non-fumigated content). The second research project examined mercury movement in an isolated watershed. Study plots were located using GPS, tree species mapped in a circular area plot, and basal area measured. Basal area, species diversity and dominance were analyzed for correlation with mercury content in the soil.

Ann Arbor, Mi

Responsible for photographing wide range of situations, frequently interacting with people as subjects and obtaining information while efficiently communicating with management at all times. Position required a strict writing format and constant professional persona at all events and written pieces for non-biased journalistic reporting.

Kalamazoo, Michigan Area

Responsible for safe transit in construction areas, working on crews with radio communication while wearing proper safety attire.

Ugyen Wangchuk Institute For Conservation And The Environment, Bumthang, Bhutan

Research and analyses regarding forest management conducted in the Kingdom of Bhutan while a student researcher. Presented scientific results and suggestions of forest management improvements to both local officials and the Royal Government of Bhutan.Data gathered included:• Forest history and present condition of basal area, tree length, diameter at breast height, age, damage and historical treatment• Tree regeneration focused on sapling and seeding counts• Topography influence on stock mapped with GIS • Establishing plot locations using GPS• Assessing biodiversity by identifying species and mapping in established plotsAdditional coursework involved aquatic field labs examining dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, temperature, stream classification, aquatic invertebrate sampling, and physical properties affecting site.

The University Of Michigan

Responsible for multiple tasks such as statistical data analyses and interpretation, guiding participantsthroughout study, and equipment management.• Introduction to hands on standard scientific research techniques• Experienced with data analyses and organization in SPSS• Managed and monitored participants• High degree of organization with equipment and documentation

Midwest Region

Vertical Edge Entertainment is a portable entertainment company that works at events over the Midwest Region.Position of staff, handling large inflatable and mechanical rides with set up, operation, and take down. Responsible for ensuring safety of participants and proper use. Additionally responsible for equipment and other crew members transportation to work site.

Bachelor’S Degree, Ecology And Evolutionary Biology, Graduated

Activities and Societies: Mattaei Botanical Gardens Volunteer, Nichols Arboretum Volunteer, Natural Area Preservation (NAP) Volunteer.

College Credit, Esri Arcgis Products

Online student in GIS: GEOG INFO SYST & THEORY. (GEOG_360_400_F2019)