For more than a century, Oregon’s marine ecosystem has been without sea otters, a keystone species in the nearshore environment. This presentation will look at how sea otters influence coastal habitats, explore the history of sea otter populations, discuss the cultural significance of otters to Indigenous people, and introduce participants to the Elakha Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to restore sea otters to the Oregon coast. 

 Dr. Jan Hodder is an emeritus faculty member of the University of Oregon’s Institute of Marine Biology where she conducted research and taught courses on Oregon’s marine birds and mammals and coastal ecosystems.  She authored part of the scientific feasibility study that the Elakha Alliance commissioned regarding sea otter reestablishment in Oregon. She lives in Charleston and serves on the board of the Alliance. 

 Please visit sea-edu.org to find more information about SEA, events, become a member and volunteer.