Administration

Starla Paulsen - Owner, President

Starla is one of three principal owners of Conservation Seeding & Restoration, Inc. She presently works as a research scientist when she is not attending to the financial and administrative needs of CSR, Inc. Starla holds a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition with a Food Microbiology emphasis. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Sciences with a minor in Human Nutrition.

 

Steven Paulsen - CEO, Restoration Ecologist

Steven is one of three principal owners of CSR, Inc. He oversees all aspects of Conservation Seeding & Restoration, Inc. operations. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management. Steven has worked in restoration, conservation, and land stewardship since acquiring his degree. Before starting CSR, Inc. he worked for Conservation Land Stewardship and Applied Ecological Services, Inc., two restoration companies that were instrumental in forming a passion for the work he does today with CSR, Inc.

 

Kevin Osborne - Logistics and Operations Manager

Kevin is one of three principal owners of CSR, Inc. He is our man on the ground and is responsible for the supervision of all work crews and their crew foremen. Kevin has worked for over fifteen years in the landscape and restoration field and has been involved in nursery management, landscaping, equipment operation, and tree field management. He has taken horticulture training at the College of Southern Idaho and is licensed and certified in the operation of hydro-seeding equipment.

 

Mike Preece - General Manager

Raised in Ogden, Utah, Mike comes to CSR from 22 years in mortgage banking and personnel management. He is a YMCA board member and current board chairman, and has attended Weber State. Mike is married and has two teenage boys, two dogs, two horses, and a goat. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting & fishing.

 

 

Liza Luttmer - Accountant/Controller

With over twenty years' worth of experience in bookkeeping & accounting, Liza brings to CSR a wealth of knowledge. She graduated from Burley High School and attended both ISU and CSI. Liza is married with four children and a cocker spaniel. An Air-Force "brat", Liza has lived in Italy and Japan and loves to travel. She also loves to go boating, golfing, bike riding, and camping.

 

Shelly Kleinkopf - HR/Safety Administrator

A 35-year native of the Magic Valley in Southern Idaho, Shelly joins CSR with Human Resource Training & Development/Corporate Training from Idaho State University. She has also studied Physical Education at the College of Southern Idaho. Shelly's family includes a husband and two daughters, plus a golden retriever and a cat. In her spare time, she enjoys whitewater rafting, golfing, biking, and other outdoor sports.

 

Linda Muck - Office Assistant, Idaho Region

Linda has lived in Southern Idaho for the last 21 years raising her four children with her husband Darrell and now enjoying her grandchildren. She worked for the Gooding Schools in several positions which included doing payroll and the technology program to develop students careers. She was office manager for the last three years for a commercial refrigeration company. Interests include learning about healthy lifestyles and creating memory albums to enjoy. In her spare time, she enjoys bike riding, 4 wheeling and camping when weather is good.

 

Linda Harrison - Clerk

Linda joins the CSR team with over twenty years of clerical experience. Linda is an Idaho native and long time Magic Valley resident. She enjoys spending her off time in the mountains camping and trail riding, or in the garden with her husband. During the winter months she enjoys reading good books.

 

 

Gary Henning - IT Department Manager

From Northern California, Gary is married with two children. His family moved to Twin Falls in 2003. Gary has just completed his AA from the College of Southern Idaho, and holds Microsoft and Citrit certifications. He has attended Santa Rose JC, Cal Poly Pomona, and Sonoma State University.

 

 

Bryan Milburn - IT Apprentice

From Twin Falls Idaho, Bryan is married with two children. He currently attends CSI studying manufacturing technology. In his spare time, Bryan enjoys yo-yoing, target shooting, and spending time with him family.

 

 

 

Wyoming Regional Office

Barbara Murcray - Wyoming Regional Manager

A Colorado native and long time Wyoming resident, Barbara and her husband have raised three sons in Rock Springs. Prior to joining CSR, Inc. she was a field secretary for Questar Corp. She has also worked for Trona Valley CFCU as a bank teller and City Market/Jubilee Foods as a cashier and Customer Relations Manager.

 

 

Sarah Kawcak - Office Assistant, Wyoming Region

Sarah grew up in Craig, Colorado on a family ranch, and was an active member in 4-H and FFA. She earned both a BS and MS in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors, camping, and riding horses.

 

 

Utah Regional Office

Charlie Holtz - Utah Regional Manager

Charlie was born on the west coast in California, has lived on the east coast in New Jersey, but spent most of his life centrally located in the great state of Minnesota. He studied at the University of Montana in Missoula, with a focus on Environmental Studies & English Literature. Past work accomplishments include contributing to the Northern Divide Grizzly Bear Population Study, & positions with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks as a Smith River Ranger & Block Management Technician. Now living in Vernal, Utah Charlie heads up the Utah division of CSR with the support of his great crew. Charlie enjoys fishing, hunting, & playing music with his friends & family, especially Ashley & daughter Avery.

Kelly Bentley - Office Assistant, Utah Region

A native of Vernal Utah, Kelly and her husband have three amazing daughters, two dogs and two cats. She has worked in an office setting for 20 years with on-site training. Kelly spends most of her spare time shuttling her girls to and from sporting events, but also like to race cars, play softball, soccer, and dance. On occasion, she enjoys a good barbeque.

 

Fleet & Equipment Maintenance

Aaron Harrington - Fleet Mechanic

Aaron is our shop/maintenance manager and is charged with keeping our ever growing fleet of vehicles and equipment running trouble free. Other duties include the fabrication of job specific vehicles and equipment, and researching new technologies to be implemented into CSR, Inc. to aid in the overall efficiency of the company. Aaron has 6 years experience in the field of vegetation management and currently holds Ag Herbicide licenses in 5 states. He also has 12 years experience in the field of general shop labor and equipment maintenance.

 

Dale Taylor - Fleet Mechanic

Dale supports CSR's fleet needs, including mechanics and fabrication. From Kimberly Idaho, he served in the US Marine Corps for 6 years and has experience in RV mechanics, asbestos abatement, commodity sales & logistics. Dale attended MCES and CSI. He has two sons and enjoys bass fishing and snowmobiling during his free time.

 

Natural Resources

Michael Clancy - Natural Resources Department Manager

Michael first attended Colorado Mountain College where he obtained both an Associate in Arts and an Associate in Science degree and received CISCO training. He continued his studies at the University of Idaho, Moscow, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science, Physical Science emphasis, geology and geography focus, and G.I.S certification. During his academic career, he conducted extensive remote sensing research for the Central Asian Glacio-Climatic Research Group which is funded by both NASA and N.S.F. Michael has gained experience from many diverse fields including the Forest Service Minerals Department, private G.I.S contracting, steel construction, and open source software development.

Noel Sanyal - GIS Department Manager

Noel was born and raised in Moscow, Idaho. He attended the University of Idaho, also in Moscow, where he earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science and his GIS Certificate. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outdoors – snowboarding, rock climbing, backpacking and whitewater rafting.

 

 

Kent Fothergill - Senior Scientist

Like all CSR employees, Kent is passionate about native plants, animals, and the habitats they require. Kent has the privilege of being CSR’s first biologist and being totally humbled by the awesome splendor of the intermountain shrub-steppe. The biggest perk of Kent’s work day is the simple joy of being allowed to view the world with wonder. When not working, Kent is often found exploring birds, bugs, and botany.

 

Kelly V. Tindall - Senior Scientist

Kelly is our Entomologist. Kelly earned her Ph.D, M.S., and B.S. from Louisiana State University where she explored insect-weed interactions in rice and plant-mediated interactions between insects sharing the same host. As an assistant research professor at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center, Kelly built a self-funded research program in agricultural entomology with an integrated pest management emphasis. Kelly publishes actively and has served as a peer reviewer for several journals and is active in several committees for professional societies. In her off time Kelly enjoys entomology, botany, gardening, bicycling, and camping.

 

Leslie Meyer - Restoration Specialist

Originally from outside Chicago, Leslie attended the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Soil and Land Management. Prior to moving to Idaho, she worked for the USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Service as a soil scientist in Wyoming where she worked on an initial soil survey. While working for CSR, Leslie is also attending school to obtain a degree in Water Resource Management. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, and boating.

 

Michael Callen - Restoration Specialist

Originally from Southern Idaho, Michael returned to Idaho from the military in 2004 to attain his Associates in Environmental Science from CSI. He then achieved his Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science with focus on Wildlife Ecology, Hydrology and research from the University of Idaho. Jointly funded by the University of Idaho and Colorado Division of Wildlife, he conducted research on Sage-grouse, testing if sex allocation was occurring. In his free time he enjoys the outdoors, hiking, camping, backpacking, hunting and motorcycle riding.

 

Annette Garrigues - Restoration Specialist, Colorado

Annette grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington, within the Puget Sound. She graduated from U of O, focusing on Environmental Science, Biology, and Geography. Annette has worked as a Biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, McKenzie River Council, PBS Engineering + Environmental, & has been an Environmental Educator for Oregon youth. Her favorite aspects of being a Biologist are working out in the field & accomplishing large-scale restoration projects! Annette enjoys fly fishing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, rafting, identifying plants, studying maps, & lawn sports (badminton or bocce ball).

 

Construction & Stewardship

Lance Bennett - Idaho Construction Manager

Lance is responsible for the oversight and management of all stewardship and monitoring activities within the state of Idaho including data collection, noxious weed control, wildlife habitat restoration,and general maintenance. He is licensed as a Professional Applicator in the Agricultural Herbicide and Lawn Safety categories. Lance attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst studying Human Impact on the Environment. He also has eight years experience in the landscaping field and has worked within the Bureau of Land Management as a rangeland aide.

 

John Lancaster - Wyoming Regional Field Supervisor

For the last 15 years, John worked at Gem Equipment Inc. In his spare time, he enjoys tournament bass fishing, camping, and spending time with his wife Cindy and their eight grandchildren.

 

 

Salvador Vargas - Construction Foreman

Que Pasa. Salvador (Sal) has a wonderful wife & three great kids, and has lived in the Magic Valley for the last 20 years. He enjoys working outdoors and is an excellent team player. He works on the CSR, Inc. construction crew as a foreman and is an asset to our team.

 

 

Michael McKeel - Field Specialist

Mike is dedicated to the conservation and protection of our great basin resources. A native of Southern Idaho, Mike grew up fishing and hunting in the sagebrush of his beloved state. Together with his dog "Diz", Mike continues to explore and discover all the greatness that is the Great Basin.

 

 

Butch Nolan - Field Specialist

Butch grew up in Billings Montana. He went to the College of Southern Idaho and University of Utah, where he played baseball. Butch enjoys the outdoors - fishing and hunting - and watching his three children playing sports. He comes to CSR from 21 years in the construction and stucco business.

 

 

Keith Henstock - Field Specialist

Keith grew up all over the state of Idaho and has three children, four grandchildren, and two dogs. He spent 6 years in the US Army Reserves and time with GM ACdelco. Keith likes snowmobiling, playing racketball, and going fishing. Keith has tried skydiving and loved it so much he says it's a must to do again!

 

 

Patrick Webber - Field Specialist

From Oceanside, California, Patrick has been in the heavy construction field since graduating from highschool in the early 1990's. He is married with four children and a 6 year old lab named Miss Maggie. Patrick likes to fish, hunt, and ride his motorcycle during his spare time.

 

 

Tailor Sponcey - Field Specialist

Tailor Sponcey grew up in Fallon Nevada and graduated high school in 2006. He then moved to Reno Nevada and attended University of Nevada Reno majoring in wildlife ecology. He has experience working with the Nevada Waterfowl Association as well as U.S Fishing Wildlife Service aiding in plant and animal studies. Tailor has a strong passion for wildlife and the outdoors as well as the techniques that are used to conserve both.

 

 

Design, Marketing, & Sales (DMS)

Byron Wood - Department Manager and Sales Lead

Byron moved to Twin Falls in the mid 1980's after growing up in Bremerton, Washington. After completing courses at Wenatchee Valley College and Olympic College, he earned a BA in Business Marketing from Washington State. He then spent 17 years managing distribution of fresh produce nationwide. Byron enjoys outdoor activities, in particular hunting and golfing.

 

Julie Riddle - Nativescape Designer/Bid Coordinator

Julie’s responsibilities include nativescape designs, cost studies, bidding, and client meetings. She utilizes native plants to provide customers with aesthetically pleasing & functional landscapes. Julie has a B.S. of Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon and is a Certified Irrigation Designer (CID), Certified Preparer of Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (CPSWPPP), and Certified Compliance Inspector of Stormwater (CCIS). She enjoys spending her free time with her husband and daughter.

 

Steven Drucker - Marketing Manager

For 20 years, Steve has been involved in the tech industry. Before moving to Idaho in 2005 with his wife of 24 years, he was an IT Director in Las Vegas, Nevada, overseeing a multi-server Windows and Novell network, with over 100 workstations. At the same time, Steve produced proprietary and commercial software in a variety of programming languages. Steve is also an active participant in the financial markets. When not analyzing price charts, Steve enjoys metal and jazz-art-rock music. From time to time, bass riffs shoot out of his fingertips.

Michelle Bennett - Internet Marketing Coordinator

After years of personal blogging success, Michelle has joined the CSR, Inc. team to head the social media aspect of the business. This includes, but is not limited to, the CSR Blog, Twitter and Facebook. Michelle is passionate about "Saving the Planet" and enjoys the opportunity to spread the word about native plants. When she is not busy caring for her growing family, you will find her sitting at her sewing machine, busy with a paintbrush, or out and about with her camera.

 

 

Seed & Plant Production

Tom Glass - CSR Production Manager

Tom brings nearly 25 years of experience in nursery and greenhouse production to CSR. He aims to bring the same production standards and reliability common to ornamental nursery production to native plant and seed production. Tom loves all manner of outdoor pursuit and, if you want to recommend a good book, he'd appreciate it! Tom completes all of CSR's production activities and operates the Rifle Colorado nursery.

 

Rich Drick - Farm Facilities Manager

Rich provides support and implementation for all of the stewardship, monitoring and habitat restoration projects in Idaho, as well as operates the Idaho Farm. He is licensed as a Professional Applicator in the Agricultural Herbicide and Lawn Safety categories. Rich graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in Recreation Outdoor Leadership. After working for Outward Bound as mountaineering, rock climbing and kayak guide he became lead facilitator for the College of Southern Idaho’s ropes course. While working for the Idaho DEQ he wrote his masters thesis on motivations for participation in the federal 319 program.

 

Russell "Charlie" Park - Production Assistant

Charlie has been with the Nursery since the summer of 2009. He is quick to jump into to new projects and his work speed sets much of the pace at the nursery. A Filer Idaho native, Charlie will not divulge the true reason behind his nickname and we try not to pry; perhaps someday he will tell us.

 

 

Danielle Lemon - Office Assistant, Rifle Colorado Nursery

Born and raised a rancher's daughter on the western slope of Colorado, Danielle enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities that keep her outside and working with animals including hunting, fishing, riding, and working cattle. She is currently working towards a Biology degree through CMC, and works part-time with the Colorado DOW with the Habitat Partnership Program improving wildlife habitat. She also likes cooking and spending time with friends, and believes that life is an adventure, enjoy it!

Tracy O'Connell - Production Assistant

Tracy is married and has five beautiful daughters and thirteen grandchildren. She moved from Oregon to Colorado in the early '90s. She taught education at Dallas Elementary and Dallas High School, and has worked prior in construction, bartending, waitressing, and painting. She enjoys fishing and touring Colorado on her Kawasaki motorcycle.

Robert Ramos-Esparza - Production Assistant

Robert is married and has four stepchildren and three American pitbull terriers. He hails from Los Angeles California, and enjoys video games, drawing, and hanging out with friends. His favorite sports teams include the Lakers, Raiders, Dodgers, Kings, UCLA and USC.

Kami Holbrook - Production Assistant

Kami comes to CSR from Glenwood Colorado, and is married and has a daughter. She enjoys hunting, fishing, and hiking.

Jeremy Rivera - Production Assistant

Jeremy has spent most of his time in Colorado but has lived all over the US. He is a licensed Journeyman Plumber, and enjoys hanging out with his family - girlfriend and daughter. Go New York Yankees!

Morganna Patrick - Production Assistant

From Rifle, Colorado, Morgana attended Fort Lewis College. She is married and has a son. In her spare time she likes hiking, fishing, being outside, movies, sightseeing, and playing with her family.

Victoria Baumann - Production Assistant

Born and raised in Colorado, Victoria has a bachelors degreen in Business Administration and Recreation from Western State College and a bachelors in Psychology from the Universtiy of Northern Colorado. She has a shitsu named Moshu, and enjoys whitewater rafting, climbing, skiing, snowboarding, backpacking, canyoning, and camping.