Matthew R. Brown, Master's Student
My background is primarily as a plant ecologist, working throughout Northern California in grasslands, riparian and montane plant communities. Currently, I am interested understanding the ecology of rare plants in order to better address conservation and management issues. For my graduate work I am building models for the clustered lady’s slipper orchid (Cypripedium fasciculatum) to identify the main environmental drivers for the presence and reproduction of orchids. In order to inform future management of the species I am also interested in exploring how habitat occupied by orchids will be affected by different management plans such as control burning, logging, or fire suppression.