Diana Benner, Principal Vegetation Ecologist and Project Manager Diana@thewatershednursery.com Diana Benner received her M.S. in Ecology and Systematics from San Francisco State University with a research emphasis on the role of a parasitic plant on species distribution and abundance in a wetland community. In 2004 she presented her research at the California Estuarine Research Society’s conference and at the national conference of the Ecological Society of America. She received her B.S. in Marine Biology from U.C.S.C. with an emphasis on toxicology. Her undergraduate thesis focusing on the Toxicokinetics of Pentachlorophenol in Topsmelt was published in the Journal of Environmental Toxicology. Diana is also certified in Rapid Vegetation Assessment techniques by the California Native Plant Society. A native to the San Francisco Bay area, Diana has worked locally as a biologist and naturalist focusing on wetland issues. She is currently the lead vegetation ecologist for the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserves vegetation mapping project and recently conducted field work in a Cal Fed funded project comparing function of wetland systems with various restoration histories. Her work with the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the E.P.A. helped develop a rapid assessment method for wetlands. She also worked with the Regional Water Board and A.C.O.E. to assess methods to determine the success of riparian restoration projects. Coordinating with local school groups she has initiated restoration projects in riparian and bunch grass habitats and has worked as an independent contractor for Hanson and Associates in several wetland plant inventory projects in Contra Costa County. Diana is a partner in The Watershed Nursery, a nursery dedicated to growing site-specific native plants and providing services for use in restoration projects around San Francisco Bay. | 
