Howdy! Lauren here. Thanks for popping by to learn more about me.

I grew up in Southcentral Alaska, surrounded by lush forests, flowing waterways and towering mountains. Here, I learned how humans and nature are inextricably connected. I also observed firsthand the drastic impact climate change has on our landscapes. When I moved to Southwest Washington, these observations, both beautiful and crushing, remained.

My passion is to report on drivers of environmental degradation, who is impacted and what can be done about it. My experiences have taken me through scorched forests, rivers altered by antiquated logging operations and a woman's dining table, where she shared her fear of being swept away by a flood. Stories like these touch on the recovery, perseverance and transformation of humans and the environment. 

I have a background in print, photo and video journalism. What are my qualifications? Years of reporting for a newspaper, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Production with a minor in Sociology from Washington State University.

Hope you stick around to learn more about our environment with me.

Cheers, Lauren

Mary Oliver