NEWS & EVENTS
Oregon Chapter of the wildlife society conference
February 23rd-24th, 2026
This month I had the honor of being one of five artists featured at this year’s annual joint conference of the Wildlife Society. The event was hosted out at the coast and I was more than happy to have an excuse to load up and trek out to the sea for a couple of wonderfully drizzly days.
I felt humbled to be welcomed into a space full of incredible scientists, students, and nature artists from across our region. Meeting so many passionate humans and hearing about their successful conservation efforts really boosted my spirits in a profoundly gratifying way.
Over the course of two 12 hour days we filled the convention center and gabbed about current research, conservation issues, and ways we can encourage folks to form deep emotional connections with the wild. Afterall, we protect what we love, and personal knowledge of our land plays a crucial role in modern conservation and environmental education. Since my years in college studying conservation biology I’ve ventured out hiking and birding mostly solo, so being able to share in the wonder with folks who really know their stuff when it comes to birds was a very fun and welcomed change.
It was also amazing to be able to finally meet some of the local wildlife artists I’d been following online in person! Check out the stellar lineup below and click through each link to check out their work. Sharing advice and learning from each other was probably the highlight of this whole event. (But honestly, the real highlight was this little 8 month old Burrowing Owl pictured above—look how small she is!).
BLOOD SWEAT TEARS book release
May 2024
Over the past few months I have had the privilege of watching a book come to life–and seeing my name published in the pages of it.
Late last year an essay I’d written about my experience hiking 100 hikes during 2020 was selected to be part of a collection of work about the experience of existing in a female body in the outdoors. At the time my piece was nothing but a patchwork of blog posts I had clumped together into a word document that would, I’d hoped, be at least somewhat coherent.
Through multiple rounds of edits and deeply helpful advice from Christine, the brains behind this project and the Rugged Outdoorswoman community leader, my words were finessed into an essay that I am fully proud of.
An excerpt:
“Nature had become a potent salve for the wounds of young adulthood. I had discovered the unbridled freedom of exploring, the confidence that came from navigating the challenges of the trail with only my pup, Charlie, by my side, and a sense of optimism that had long been overshadowed by grief. The mental fog began to lift—and stay lifted—once the outdoors became a consistent part of my life.
On January 1, 2020, I had water, snacks, and a list of possible places to visit. I grabbed Charlie’s leash and slid on my hiking boots. There was nothing to do but go.”
Titled “Nothing To Do But Go”, my piece outlines the mental, physical, and spiritual toll that year took on me. How in the hell does someone take 100 hikes in a year–and during a pandemic to boot? I honestly still don’t know. Perhaps rereading my essay will reveal new answers to old questions in the way only the voices of our past selves can.
The essays in this collection sing with vulnerability, courage, and heart. The words of wild women flow freely through these pages. Blood Sweat Tears is a humble ode to life on the trail, to the female body, and to the wisdom found therein.
You can now order a special copy directly from me signed by both Charlie and myself! Each book comes with a Blood Sweat Tears bookmark and sticker with the cover artwork on them.
Thank you Christine for tackling such a massive project, and thank you to all of the adventurous authors who are part of it. An incredible amount of love was poured into making this book a reality. Check out their author bios to meet these lovely women and learn about the varied life experiences that brought them to the trail (and beyond).
I owe this accomplishment to the scared and weary woman I was when I hiked those 100 hikes. I am deeply grateful for her to pave the way for the woman I am now to finally feel brave enough to step out and share this story with you.
Love,
Jenn & Charlie