Meet our new social media intern

Hello, my name is Emma Knapton, and I’m the new social media intern for the Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI).

I’m a student at the Pacific Northwest College of Art at Willamette University in Portland, and I’m majoring in intermedia with an emphasis on creating stop-motion animation. I often create art inspired by an appreciation for nature and based on my lived experiences. 

I grew up in a small town called Kooskia, situated in north-central Idaho about three hours south of Coeur d’Alene. Like much of the Pacific Northwest, north-central Idaho is largely forested, providing lots of recreation opportunities and contributing to the natural beauty of the area. 

Along with growing up surrounded by forests, I previously worked in the forestry and conservation sectors, including as a fish biology technician and a volunteer fire lookout on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. I’ve learned many lessons through these experiences, and during this internship at OFRI I hope to learn as well as share more about what makes Oregon’s forests particularly special. 

In addition to my role at OFRI, I’m a resident advisor, student life assistant, stop-motion animation club president and filmmaker. For my thesis film, I’m using the mythology of Bigfoot to talk about climate change, shaped by my experiences in the Pacific Northwest. In my limited free time, I enjoy camping, hiking, baking and traveling to explore the world, all of which inform my artistic practice.

I’m excited about this wonderful opportunity at OFRI and look forward to empowering the Institute’s mission of forestry education!

Emma Knapton

Social Media Intern