Thurman Johnson

Thurman joined the team at Little Pend Oreille NWR in 2023 after completing his master’s research in prairie restoration at Eastern Washington University, during which time he concurrently held the position of Noxious Weed and Stewardship Specialist with Spokane County’s Noxious Weed Control Board. Prior to his graduate studies, Thurman accumulated a diverse range of experience in wildlife and vegetation management working as an Assistant Wildlife Biologist at Julia Butler Hansen NWR, in multiple capacities while inventorying sagebrush sagebrush
The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands. The sagebrush landscape provides many benefits to our rural economies and communities, and it serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.

Learn more about sagebrush -steppe ecosystems throughout Idaho and Oregon, and as a member of the grizzly bear management team at Denali National Park and Preserve. Thurman completed his bachelor’s studies in wildlife ecology and conservation at Washington State University.