Our Staff

Nate leads our ecosystem research initiatives, studying how agroforestry affects climate, water quality, and biodiversity to drive wider adoption of trees on farms and optimize management practices for better environmental outcomes.

He holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Iowa State University, where he researched soil greenhouse gas and nutrient dynamics. A native of Central Illinois’ treeless plains, he first encountered a tree at age nine in Allerton Park, now home to Savanna Institute’s 4-H Memorial Camp demonstration field.