Our Advisory Team
OUR Community Forestry is made up of passionate people committed to equity, science, and the preservation, planting, and protection of OUR urban forest.
Scott Altenhoff
Scott Altenhoff is the Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager for the Oregon Department of Forestry. Prior to assuming this position in 2022, Scott spent 18 years working as an urban forester with the City of Eugene. Scott currently serves as a past president and ISA Liaison on the Board of the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA), as Chair of the Board of Canopy Watch International. He is also a Steering Committee member for the Urban Wood Network at the state, regional, and national levels. Scott has a long-standing interest in promoting urban sustainability via trees and green infrastructure.
Brittany Oxford
Brittany is the Community Assistance Urban Forester for the State of Oregon, currently serving on the advisory team for Oregon Urban Rural and Community Forestry. With a wealth of experience in plant research and conservation, Brittany brings a unique perspective to her role in the urban forestry department. Prior to joining the department, she was collecting data for Portland's Parks and Recreation Urban Forestry Division's street tree inventory project, where she honed her skills in data collection and analysis. Before that, she worked as a plant specialist for a local nursery, where she developed her expertise in plant identification, care, and propagation.
Brittany has also contributed her skills and knowledge to various conservation projects throughout the Western United States, including pollination ecology data collection in Northern Arizona, forest plot assessments in Colorado, botanical surveys and seed collection in Texas and Southern Arizona, and captive rearing and release of the federally endangered Taylor's Checkerspot butterfly in Washington. Her experience in research and conservation has given her a deep appreciation for the importance of sustainable urban forestry practices and community engagement in urban forestry initiatives.
With a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from Northern Arizona University, Brittany brings a strong academic foundation to her work in urban and community forestry. Her passion for botany and ecology extends beyond her professional life, as she spends her free time reading science fiction, identifying plants and insects on hiking trails, and creating botanical illustrations. Brittany's dedication to environmental stewardship and community outreach make her an invaluable asset to the Oregon Department of Forestry and the advisory team for Oregon Urban Rural and Community Forestry.
Dan and Dave Bish
Plant Oregon Nursery is a family-owned and operated tree nursery located in Talent, Oregon. Founded in 1974 by father and son team Dan and Dave Bish, the nursery has become a premier source for high-quality, native and climate-resilient trees in the Pacific Northwest.
With over 110 species of trees and more than 5,000 trees for sale, Plant Oregon Nursery boasts an impressive inventory of specimen trees. The nursery's commitment to innovation and sustainability is evident in their production methods, which prioritize organic and low-impact techniques. They are constantly adapting and pioneering new approaches in the nursery industry to produce healthier and more resilient trees.
In addition to their tree inventory, Plant Oregon Nursery also grows tens of thousands of native shrubs, flowers, and pollinator-specific plants. The Bishes' dedication to conservation efforts has led them to conduct over one hundred miles of riparian restoration work, and they have personally planted over one hundred thousand trees in the Rogue Valley.
Over the past decades, Plant Oregon has donated thousands of large specimen trees to local municipalities, K-12 schools, and Southern Oregon University. The nursery has also built and planted two arboretums, including the largest and most diverse private arboretum in Oregon.
Dan and Dave Bish's passion for trees is evident in every aspect of their work at Plant Oregon Nursery. Their commitment to quality and sustainability has made them a trusted source for specimen trees and native plants in the Pacific Northwest.
Pam Marsh
Pam Marsh was first elected to House District 5 in southern Oregon in November 2016 and reelected to a fourth term in 2022. She currently serves as Chair of the House Climate, Energy and Environment Committee. In addition, she serves as a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water, House Committee on Revenue, and the Joint Committee on Tax Expenditures. She is a member of the State Broadband Advisory Council (OBAC), and a member of the Task force on Cannabis-Derived Intoxicants and Illegal Cannabis Production.
Prior to joining the Oregon Legislature, Pam served the City of Ashland as a City Councilor for four years, and as a member and chair of the city Planning Commission and a member of the Ashland Charter Review Committee.
Pam has lived in Southern Oregon since 1994, when she and her husband moved their four children from Palo Alto, California, to the mountains above Ashland.
Paul Ries
Paul Ries is the Principal Consultant for Insightful Nature LLC, a natural resources consulting, communications, and training company, and the Director of the Graduate Certificate in Urban Forestry Program at Oregon State University. Paul holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Natural Resources and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. He has over 30 years of experience in the
natural resources and urban forestry fields, working at the state, local, non-profit, and academiclevels. His work as a college professor, state urban forestry program manager, wildland fire public information officer, and non-profit Executive Director has given him a wide range of experiences in a variety of organizational settings. His clients include state and local governmental agencies and non-profit organizations in the field of natural resources. Paul is a Past President of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 1988.
