We are currently seeking qualified candidates for a WeedWise Program specialist position. All applications materials must be submitted to the District no later than 4:30 PM on Oct 14, 2016. About the position The WeedWise Program Specialist is a full-time, at-will non-exempt position that will provide project management to the Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation […]
Tansy ragwort has long tormented rural landowners who graze livestock. Horses and cows are especially susceptible to this poisonous weed. In open fields, grazing animals will generally avoid eating tansy ragwort, but in heavily infested pastures they may have few other options. Contaminated hay is particularly a problem because it becomes impossible for feeding animals […]
Samuel LeiningerSam has been the manager of the WeedWise program since its inception in 2009. He is an ecologist specializing in invasive species management. As program manager, Sam oversees the operations and continued development of the WeedWise Program. He also provides technical assistance to local landowners and the Clackamas SWCD planning staff.
Born and raised in rural eastern Oregon, Sam learned the importance of responsible land management at a young age. Weed management was an important part of his rural upbringing.
Sam attended Oregon State University and earned an Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science. He later received a Master of Science, in Ecology from the University of California, Davis after specializing in invasive species ecology and management.
Over the course of his career, Sam has worked on a variety of ecological issues, including Willamette Valley prairie restoration, rare plant conservation, production forestry, fish and wildlife habitat enhancement, water quality, population modeling, as well as invasive species management.
While serving as WeedWise program manager, Sam has been very active in Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMA) in Oregon and serves a leadership role for the 4-County CWMA and the Columbia Gorge CWMA.
Sam lives in Canby with his wife and two sons. He enjoys gardening and spending quality time with his family.
Justin CooleyJustin Cooley joined the WeedWise team in May 2019. He works on controlling, surveying, and mapping invasive species; conducting outreach to landowners; and collaborates with many of our partners to carry out the management of priority noxious weeds within the Molalla River and Lower Willamette portions of Clackamas County.
Justin has worked in a variety of natural resource positions in Willamette Valley. Prior to joining the WeedWise team, Justin managed the invasive species control program for the Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District. Justin also spent 5 years working for Metro’s Natural Areas Land Management Team. In this role there, he implemented invasive species control and restoration projects on over 3,000 acres of open space including Smith and Bybee Wetlands in North Portland.
Justin has lived in Oregon for over 3 decades and has resided in Clackamas County for over 13 years. He earned a BS in Geography from the University of Oregon and completed his graduate studies in the Environmental Science and Management program at Portland State University. In his spare time, Justin enjoys spending time with his family and exploring local parks and natural areas.
Monte MattssonMonte works with landowners and public agencies to enhance watershed health in the Clackamas River basin as part of CRISP (Clackamas River Invasive Species Partnership), as well as other special projects in Clackamas County.
Monte earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Portland State University researching ecological interactions of plants and insects. In past positions, Monte served as Research Faculty with Oregon State University where he worked to: (1) evaluate safe pesticide use for specialty crop growers in Oregon, (2) build a pest management program for cabbage maggot, an insect pest of brassica crops, (3) develop tools to minimize risk and improve outcomes of insect biological control agents. In addition, Monte was an invasive species biologist for the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services, where he managed priority weeds with the City’s Early Detection Rapid Response Program.
Monte’s favorite pastimes are exploring the outdoors with his family, playing music, and cooking delicious food.
Brendan FordyceBrendan grew up in Clackamas County before leaving to receive his undergraduate degree in Ecology from Seattle Pacific University. Afterward, he dipped his toes into natural resource work at an Americorps program before joining a contract restoration crew. This introduction to fieldwork inspired Brendan to pursue a graduate degree in Natural Resource Management through Oregon State University, where he has also received a certificate in Forests and Climate Change.
Before joining the Weedwise team, Brendan worked at Metro as a natural resource technician and on a burned area trail crew within the USFS in response to the 2020 Labor Day fires.
In his free time, he enjoys hiking, biking, and paddling across the West with his wife. If he is not outside, he can often be found enjoying a new food cart or board game café.
Sierra BloomerSierra’s love for nature was inspired by her childhood growing up in the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range. She received her undergraduate degree in Sustainability from Arizona State University where she had the opportunity to study forest ecology and conservation in the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador. Her first introduction to natural resource work in the Pacific Northwest was as a contractor doing habitat restoration, which she did for several years and found incredibly rewarding. More recently, she worked for Metro as a Natural Resource Technician, and for an engineering and forestry company as a Natural Resource Specialist, performing wetland delineations and managing mitigation sites.
When not working, Sierra enjoys cooking, going to breweries, and spending time at the coast with her husband and their pit bull, Geraldine.
Hayden JordeHayden grew in up Queen Creek, Arizona working on his family’s farm during the summers. While working on the farm he discovered his passion for land stewardship and working outdoors. Hayden earned a graduate degree in Forestry from Northern Arizona University, where his research looked at the human dimension of forest management. His career in natural resources has taken him all over the western United States. Hayden worked as a restoration technician across the southwestern U.S. He has also been a forestry technician for the U.S. Forest Service, where he worked on wilderness trails. In Oregon, he has worked as an educator at MESD Outdoor School, helping connect students to the natural environment around them. He has also worked as a wildland firefighter based out of Eugene, Oregon.
Hayden enjoys riding his bike, gardening, reading, and spending time with his cat Nacho.
Makayla HartnessGrowing up in rural North Texas, Makayla has always had an appreciation for nature but really cultivated her passion for conservation in 2018 during a year of service in the Texas Conservation Corps. There she worked on invasive species management, wildfire fuel mitigation, and a variety of habitat restoration projects. She continued her work as a Green Infrastructure Technician doing riparian restoration and managing stormwater infrastructure sites in Central Texas. She moved to Oregon in 2024 and is excited to share her skills with the WeedWise team. In her free time, Makayla enjoys practicing Muay Thai, reading, checking out local markets, and going for hikes with her dog, Steve.
