As a Metro scientist, Kate Holleran sees nature's biggest challenges and most glorious surprises – and she has the muddy boots to prove it. Read her latest reflections on restoring the land protected by Metro's voter-approved Natural Areas Program.
By Kate Holleran, Metro Scientist
Conserving nature, one acre at a time
One of the best things about my job is that I work in the field most of the time, sometimes when I don't expect to. My typical field gear includes dark jeans, dark shirt (doesn't show dirt) or white shirt (easy to bleach) and boots. I accessorize with leather gloves, a hat, a field vest for stashing my camera, flagging, compass, GPS, maps, notebook, an apple and, for at least six months of the year around the soggy Portland area, rain gear. On rare occasions, I tempt fate and come to work in "office clothes," which for me means relatively new jeans and a button-down blouse. Most people would not be able to distinguish between my field clothes and my office clothes, but there is a subtle difference.
However, I've learned through the "school of muddy office clothes" that if I don't come to work prepared for the field, I can guarantee I will need to go into the field. Last week I had settled into my cubicle for a long day of scanning emails, catching up on research papers and writing reports when an unresolved issue came up on a significant property Metro was helping to purchase. After conferring with the team, including the property negotiator, the legal staff and the natural resource technician, it was clear that a field trip was required to determine what was happening on the ground.
I met my colleague Jeff at the property. We scrambled up the steep, slippery, ivy-covered slope while talking about and documenting the site disturbance. My new jeans were quickly becoming field jeans. Getting out on the ground clarified our original concern and raised a few new questions. As always, it was a good choice to go into the field. And, as always, a bad day to wear "office clothes."