Mark Wiliam Labhart

Tillamook County, Tillamook, Oregon

Biographical Abstracts

Mark Labhart worked for the Oregon Department of Forestry for 35 years managing the largest State Forest in Oregon for the majority of that time. Following that, he was elected as a Tillamook County Commissioner, a post he served for 12 years. He was then appointed by the Governor to the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Commission and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, as well as being asked to serve on several Legislative Task Forces to resolve complex Oregon problems.

His honors include being chosen as Tillamook County Citizen of the Year and Volunteer of the Year and being named Forester of the Year by the Oregon Society of American Foresters.

Community Engagement:

• Served with State Senator Johnson as a convener on the largest collaborative wetland restoration project in Oregon's history.
• Collaborated with Oregon State University to establish Oregon Open Campus effort, a community-based education partnership to provide local access to learning in order to address the unique educational needs of Oregon’s communities.
• Volunteered and successfully facilitated a multi-million-dollar settlement of a large environmental fish kill in a lake that had gone on for years with multiple state agencies, insurance companies, the courts, and private Homeowners Association.
• Chaired the Oregon State University Citizen Extension Advisory Committee.
• Member of Oregon State University Sea Grant Advisory Committee.
• Volunteer facilitator with state and counties to complete the Oregon Coast Trail.

Areas of Expertise

• Complex and challenging environmental issues
• Addressing the complex needs and problems related to climate change
• Ability to bring diverse and passionate groups to the table to resolve issues
• Build relationships and develop partnerships