Dr. Erik Olson

Dr. Erik Olson is an interdisciplinary ecologist whose focus of research is broad and collaborative. Erik's approach is to embrace applied research to support conservation and management – addressing real-world problems and guiding conservation decision-making. He also examines ecological theory to enhance the understanding of species and the systems they interact with. He takes a pragmatic approach to his research – he keeps his curiosity stoked, pushing the boundaries, asking questions, and learning new things with discovery science.

 

Currently, Erik's research group is focusing on four projects:
1) JaguarOsa – a collaborative, long-term (since 2015) wildlife monitoring and conservation project working in three Costa Rican National Parks;
2) Great Lakes Island Ecology - focusing on the ecology of mammals within the island systems of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan in collaboration with the National Park Service and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (since 2014);
3) Chequamegon Bay Area Kestrel Project – a conservation and monitoring project for the American kestrel, a species of conservation concern, implemented in collaboration with the USFS (since 2015); and 4) Aquatic Plant Ecology & Aquatic Invasive Species – using science to enhance the understanding of aquatic plants to guide the management of aquatic invasive species.

 

Additionally, carnivore conservation and ecology, more broadly, is an overarching topical area of Erik's research interests, especially wolf ecology and conservation in the Great Lakes region. He is currently co-editing a book on wolf ecology and conservation in the Great Lakes Region – From Recovery to Coexistence. Furthermore, as an interdisciplinary ecologist, Erik strives to see ecological questions and conservation challenges from an interdisciplinary perspective –to help draw connections and better understand the complexities of how a society navigates its relationship with Nature.

 

Erik holds a Ph.D. in Environment & Resources from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.S. in Environment & Resources from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Certificate in Humans and the Global Environment from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Erik teaches online courses in the use of camera traps for wildlife monitoring and research with the Center for Wildlife Studies, is on the advisory board of the Timber Wolf Alliance, the scientific advisory board of Wisconsin’s Green Fire, is a member of the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group, and has served on multiple Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wildlife advisory committees. Erik also worked as a Natural Resource/Water Quality Specialist for the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College (now a University) for four years.

 

Erik enjoys spending time with his family and watching his kids explore the woods and waters of the Northwoods. He also enjoys cheering on his children in their athletic endeavors. He participates in any activity that gets him outside, but his favorite activities include: backpacking, hunting, canoeing, fishing, SUP surfing, wild ricing, mountain biking, snowboarding, cross country skiing, and hanging at the sugar camp with his family.