
Kate Terpstra joined the District in June
as the new Habitat Improvement Coordinator.
This position, previously held by
Bill Simper, largely involves coordinating
knotweed eradication and native revegetation
projects. She will also manage the
District’s Annual Native Plant Sale, and
is currently in the process of developing
new habitat monitoring and restoration
projects and programs for the District.
“I have been looking forward to settling
into a more permanent position such as
this one, and I am especially excited to
be working with such a great organization
and community here,” Kate said.
Kate is seen here with a female mallard duck at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, where she captured and surveyed waterfowl, among various other wildlife and habitat monitoring work there, in order to track the population and migration patterns.
Kate brings with her years of habitat restoration,
biological monitoring, community
engagement, and leadership experience.
She fell in love with the world of
ecology and conservation during her
studies at the University of Washington
in Seattle, derailing her former ambitions
to become a doctor, and received
a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with
a concentration in Ecology, Evolution
& Conservation. Kate has worked in a
wide variety of positions since then,
including four terms in AmeriCorps.
At EarthCorps, a non-profit based in
Seattle, she spent years implementing
restoration projects for various organizations
all throughout Puget Sound as a
field crew member, volunteer coordinator,
and crew supervisor; respectively.
She also comes with experience from
Snohomish County Surface Water
Management, where she interned with
their Salmon Habitat Team, and later
returned as the Native Plant Program
Assistant to coordinate their knotweed
program, other restoration projects,
volunteers, and the native plant
nursery. She’s also had the pleasure of
working at a penguin research facility
and a National Wildlife Refuge.
One of her favorite parts of her job is
engaging with a variety of landowners
and organizations to effect change
over an entire watershed, and being
able to see improved natural resources
and habitats as a result of that work.
“In my first year at EarthCorps, we
were actually contracted by the District
for a few months, and we pioneered
a lot of the knotweed treatment on
South Prairie Creek,” she said. “Managing
the project now and seeing the
improvement since then has served as
a uniquely inspiring welcome to the
District and the impactful work we do.”
As a new resident of Pierce County, Kate
is excited to explore her new home.
Outside of work, she enjoys hiking,
dancing, learning the ukulele, and long
walks on the beach with her newly
adopted kitten (on leash, of course).