Meet the Founder of Functional Flora Consulting

I grew up along the rivers of Northern California learning about the effects of management, bioaccumulation and land stewardship through real-world examples and stories before I even realized what these concepts were and what they meant on a much larger scale. Naturally, I found my career gravitating towards understanding these relationships on a deeper level and finding ways in which natural and human systems can coexist harmoniously.

Today, I am a professional scientist working at the intersection of ecological conservation and land management to make informed decisions that hold both immediate and long-term effects. I hold a Ph.D. in Pollination Ecology from the University of Washington where my research focused on the interaction of land-use practices and ecological processes in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, I developed forest harvesting and management strategies that support greater forest production and more diverse, abundant, native pollinator and plant communities.

Prior to this, I piloted one of the first drone-based research trips to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) using novel modeling techniques to map ancient statue pathways and understand resource partitioning of the Rapanui people. On a separate scholarship, I used a combination of remote sensing and statistical modeling to develop a rapid detection method for illegal palm oil plantations in rural Africa, which I shared and taught to local practitioners at the University of Addis Abba (the key was pulling out the oil palms unique phenology pattern from the surrounding canopy!).

My academic background combines extensive field research of native species in the Pacific Northwest (plants, pollinators, salmonids, and more) with spatial analysis and advanced modeling that allows me to understand landscape patterns in terms of ecological processes and connect these in a real-world context to inform decision-making.

In parallel to founding Functional Flora, I serve as a Project Manager at an international environmental engineering firm, where I advanced into a leadership role shortly after completing my doctorate. I lead multidisciplinary projects, coordinate across diverse stakeholders (often within the agricultural sector), and deliver science-based solutions within regulatory and operational constraints. I see this experience as an essential addition to my academic background as it gave me the ability to think in terms of investment and return within a scientific framework. This experience shapes my consulting work, ensuring that recommendations are not only scientifically rigorous, but also feasible and implementable.

Functional Flora Consulting reflects the synthesis of my work and experience: bringing scientific rigor, spatial insight, and practical execution together to support clients in designing landscapes that are economically viable, ecologically functional, and resilient over the long-term.

Sadie Trush

Ph.D., Pollination Ecology — University of Washington, School of Forestry M.S., GIS and Remote Sensing — University of Southampton, UK B.S., Environmental Sciences — University of Oregon, Clark Honors College