Dr. Sarah Johnson

Affiliated Researcher

​Dr. Sarah Johnson is a plant ecologist whose research examines biodiversity and ecological change across terrestrial and wetland ecosystems in the Great Lakes region. She studies how plant communities and at-risk species, such as rare coastal plants and forest understory species, respond to environmental drivers such as water-level fluctuations, invasive species, herbivory, and land-use changes. She collaborates with natural resource agencies, tribal organizations, and conservation partners to develop ecological monitoring strategies and inform management decisions that support biodiversity and habitat resilience.

For over a decade, Sarah was a Professor of Natural Resources and Biology at Northland College, where she received merit awards for excellence in both teaching and research. She integrates research into her teaching by incorporating hands-on fieldwork and student-led
projects. Through these experiences, students develop skills in plant identification, data collection, and conservation decision-making—preparing them for careers in ecology and natural resource management. Sarah has mentored students in a wide range of applied research initiatives, from monitoring rare arctic disjunct plant populations on Lake Superior’s rocky shoreline to studying the rate of losses and gains in spring ephemeral and summer-active wildflowers in the Chequamegon National Forest. She is also co-principal investigator on a long-term study of aquatic plant community change and Eurasian watermilfoil invasion in the Turtle Flambeau Flowage, a 13,000-acre lake system in northeastern Wisconsin.

Her career has been shaped by a long history of collaboration with the National Park Service and other conservation organizations. Early on, she worked as a Biological Technician at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, launching a commitment to ecological research in the Great Lakes that continues today. She later contributed to the National Park Service’s Great Lakes Inventory and Monitoring Network, helping to design long-term vegetation monitoring protocols for national parks across the region.

Sarah holds a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.S. in Biology from East Carolina University, and a B.S. in Biology from Northland College. In August 2025, she will join the faculty at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), where she looks forward to mentoring students in applied research on plant conservation and ecosystem dynamics in the Great Lakes region. While at GVSU Sarah will continue to maintain her affiliation with the Burke Center to carry on her research in the northwoods of Wisconsin.