Jenny Reinheardt

IMG_0998.jpg, a photo by Semester in the West on Flickr.

Jenny Reinheardt
Fire and fuels, Wallowa Resources
Wallowa County, Oregon
September 1

Jenny Reinheardt works with Wallowa Resources’ Watershed Stewardship Program, focusing on forests and fuels. Her 30 years of experience with the US Forest Service as a fire and fuels specialist has given her a wealth of experience in this aread. Her work focuses on restoring the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest to its historic density and biodiversity, prior to the fire suppression that began in the early 20th century. This restoration is achieved through a variety of methods, including mechanical thinning, fuels reduction, and prescribed burns and reduces the likelihood of major wildfires in the future. Jenny organizes these restoration projects in individual allotments of the forest. She decides on the specific treatment for each allotment using historical data on fire, density, and diversity, in addition to current conditions of the area. Jenny attributes her progress in restoring the forest to her focus on achieving small incremental successes.

By Nevé Baker