Lora Perkins

Title

Professor, Department of Natural Resource Management; Lead Faculty, Native Plant Initiative; Affiliate Professor, Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science

Office Building

Edgar S. McFadden Biostress Lab

Office

142B

Mailing Address

McFadden Biostress Laboratory 142B
Natural Resource Management-Box 2140B
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007

Education

• Ph.D. in environmental science | University of Nevada, Reno
• M.S. in botany and plant pathology | Oregon State University
• B.S. in environmental science| New Mexico State University

Academic Interests

Historically, the landscape of the Northern Great Plains had abundant native grasses and wildflowers. Currently, our landscape is depauperate of native plants, especially wildflowers. The lack of native plants on the landscape has negative impacts on wildlife, insects, soil health, cultural values and aesthetics. Our landscape is degraded due to the presence and abundance of invasive species, habitat loss and fragmentation, chemical deposition and saline/sodic soils. This new reality requires a more thorough understanding of restoration and production than currently exists for native plants in the Northern Great Plains.

Therefore, my research focuses on:

1. Management and restoration to increase native plants in our grasslands and wetlands.
2. Production and propagation of native plants to support restoration and management.
3. Including native plants in professional and private landscaping.

Restoration ecology, plant ecology, seed ecology, rangeland ecology

Academic Responsibilities

• RANG 205 Introduction to Range Management
• RANG 400 Range judging team - URME
• EES 425/525 Disturbance and Restoration Ecology
• EES 430/530 Biological Invasions
• ABS 475 Senior Capstone

Committees and Professional Memberships

• Society for Range Management
• Ecological Society of America
• Society for Ecological Restoration

Awards and Honors

• 2024 SDSU Award for Excellence in Outreach and Engagement
• 2022 Pheasants Forever Polaris Habitat Stewardship Award
• 2019 Bradshaw Medal from the Society for Ecological Restoration
• 2017 Gamma Sigma Delta Faculty Research Award
• 2017 Charles E. Bessey Award for Natural Science

Work Experience

• Editor-in-chief, Native Plants Journal (2024-present)
• Contributing editor at Restoration Ecology (2016-2024)
• Associate editor at Biological Invasions (2016-2024)
• Associate editor at Rangeland Ecology and Management (2018-2022)