About Liz Osborn
Freelance science writer specializing in biology, the environment and natural resources management.
Liz draws from a broad background in writing and communications that is complemented with graduate degrees and consulting experience in environmental science and natural resources management. This combination of knowledge and expertise enables her to effectively and accurately deliver scientific information.
Qualifications Summary
- Science writer with skills in information synthesis, strategic analysis and public communications.
- Interdisciplinary and international experience in natural resources policy, planning and research.
- University degrees in forest ecology (BSc Honours), wildland science (MSc) and natural resources management (MRM).
- Registered Professional Biologist with the College of Applied Biology in British Columbia.
Experience
For over 12 years, Liz has consulted in environmental research, management and communications for corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations. Her information synthesis and science writing skills have been applied to preparing a variety of extension materials including brochures, newsletters, news releases, public reports, conference papers, magazine articles and webpage content. In doing so, Liz has built a reputation for being organized and meeting deadlines.
She recently served five years as an appointed member of the British Columbia Forest Practices Board, including as vice-chair and acting chair. While there, she provided strategic direction to the administrative tribunal's communications program and co-authored over 40 public reports.
Previously she was executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Council of British Columbia, a provincial non-profit society. For the Council, Liz developed and moderated public processes to resolve resource use conflicts involving mountain biking and cave management, and also prepared provincial strategies for river recreation and for converting abandoned railway lines into trails.
Liz's communications experience also includes managing and implementing public information programs for the Kamloops Region of the British Columbia Ministry of Forests, and for the Outdoor Recreation Council. Her involvements ranged from communications planning to writing news releases and included writing and publishing public newsletters, brochures and reports.
Earlier on in her writing career, Liz contributed feature articles to Maclean's, Western Living, ForestTalk, Science Dimension and other magazines. More recently, Liz has summarized hundreds of journal articles on environmental research for Current Results and on equine research for Horse Science News. She has also contributed regular “Journal Watch” columns to BioNews, published by the College of Applied Biology in BC, and to BC Forest Professional, published by the Association of BC Forest Professionals.