About Us   

Robert is a farrier and rodeo competitor who was born and raised in Benton County. He and his family grow hay, timber and Christmas trees and raise cattle and horses on their farm in Alsea. Mentored by his grandfather (Ermie Walter, a BSWCD director from 1969-1977), Robert has grown into a conservationist who respects the environment and its inhabitants. Through hunting and fishing, Robert has learned about the water and land and feels obligated to preserve nature so that future generations will also be able to enjoy a healthy ecosystem.

A true son of Oregon's Willamette Valley, Frank lives and works on the Nusbaum Century farm at Bellfountain with his wife, Sharon, son, Orin, daughter-in-law, Mandy and grandson, Van. Frank finds time in his busy day to be a valued member of the Benton SWCD Board and a sincere representative of Benton County agricultural producers. Conservation practices are common on the Nusbaum farm. No-till Christmas tree management is enhanced with contour planting. Two-year volunteer grass seed production cycles consider soil properties, reduce chemical inputs, minimize fuel consumption and capitalize on the ability of rye grass to reseed. Frank recalls that he has not seen broken sod on some of their rotationally-grazed pastures in his 55-year lifetime. Those pastures are habitat for Western meadowlark and other ground nesting birds. Western pond turtles bask around the farm's 20-acre pond.

"I believe that education and outreach are the keys to protecting our natural resources. I support the District's conservation programs that provide technical and financial assistance to landowners and schools. I enjoy promoting conservation education by volunteering and I especially get a kick out of helping elementary and middle school students create a schoolyard habitat for birds and wildlife while they learn about native plants and our precious soil and water resources."

"There have been many times that the District's staff and programs have directly supported these school projects or my family's riparian restoration project and I just hope to give back what I can to support staff and to ensure these programs continue to be available to the community. I have a background in forest and civil engineering and have volunteered for several years as a 4-H wildlife steward leader."

As Henry travels around the county,he is on the lookout for invasive weeds. "If I find the next meadow knapweed or false brome on my horseshoeing rounds hopefully we can get rid of it before it becomes a problem."

"I first got interested in being involved to help identify new invasive plants and get new infestations eradicated before they become a threat to agriculture and native ecosystems. As a farrier I drive all over Benton County and see a lot of new weeds before they are widespread. Now I have a place to go when I find something new to the area."

"Besides being on the lookout for new weeds, I'm also interested in rare native plant species. I'm a firm believer in the stewardship of families that make their living off the land. It's no coincidence that most of the healthiest native prairies in Benton County are on private land. Grazing, farming, logging and other disturbance factors that are a way of life for rural residents have "preserved" the habitat for many species that have become rare on unmanaged public lands. We should take the concerns of private land owners and those who make their living on natural resources into consideration when working to conserve or expand these habitats. Incentives that reward good stewardship should take precedence over arbitrary regulations that infringe on land management decisions."

"I live outside Philomath and grow produce and plants for the Corvallis Farmers Market. I enjoy collecting native wildflower seed and sharing it with neighbors. I'm motivated to protect the quality of life in rural Benton County for my two year old son and daughter on the way."

Associate Director since 1995.  BS in natural science and a M.S. in environmental soil science.  Rana is an avid naturalist and outdoors adventurer.  Supports Corvallis Chapter of the Audubon Society through volunteering for conservation projects/issues.  Assists Natural Resources Conservation Service with archaeological and natural resource projects.  Involved with the City of Corvallis Development issues as a concerned citizen.

Tim has been a dedicated volunteer in Corvallis since 1980.  He has an AAS in Water/Wastewater Technology from LBCC.  He now works at the Albany Wasterwater Plant.

Tim served several years as a Benton SWCD Associate Director before being elected as an At Large Director.  He has been very involved in the District's Annual Tree & Shrub Sale, acting as coordinator for the past two years.  He believes the #1 issue facing the world as a global community is WATER.  Quantity and quality are in short supply and need serious scrutiny by citizens to ensure a future with well managed resources.

Mark has lived in Corvallis since 1994. Mark is currently the Water Resources Specialist for the City of Corvallis in the Public Works Department. In this capacity, he provides community outreach and education related to water conservation and pollution prevention. Mark is a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor through the Irrigation Association.

Mark serves the Benton SWCD as an Associate Director and as an active member of the Education and Outreach Committee. From 1997 - 2000, Mark served as Director at Large for the Benton SWCD, and he served as Vice Chair from 1999 - 2000.

Mark is a member of the Marys River Watershed Council (MRWC) where he serves as the Chair of the Education and Outreach Committee. Mark previously served on the Steering Committee for the MRWC for four years. Mark is the Chair of the Pacific Northwest Section of the American Water Works Association's Water Conservation Committee. Mark maintains an active membership in the Water Environment Federation. Mark, an avid boater, is the Conservation Chair and President of the Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club (WKCC).

From 1994 to 2000, Mark served on the faculty of Oregon State University in the Forest Engineering department researching riparian area structure & function, relationships between logging and landslides, soil compaction associated with logging, and municipal drinking water supplies coming from forested watersheds.

Mark earned a BS in Forest Management from the University of Georgia College of Forestry (1990) and an MS in Watershed Science from the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University (1993), and his background includes forestry, soil physical properties, watershed hydrology, and outreach & education.

In his spare time, Mark enjoys paddling kayaks and canoes, playing guitar, practicing yoga, gardening, and fermenting various food products including mead (honey wine) and pickles.