About Marina

Observing the intricacy of wild animal lives

Author of the award-winning Halcyon Journey, In Search of the Belted Kingfisher, Marina has turned her attention to birds of ancient forests for her new book coming out in autumn of 2026.: Feathered Forests (Chelsea Green Publishing).

Her articles, essays, blogs, and poems have appeared in National Wildlife, Audubon, Birding, Birdwatching, A.T. Journeys, Post Road Magazine, Montana Naturalist, Think Journal, Vision and Research View (University of Montana), Center for Humans and Nature, Lothlorien, Panorama, Humans of the World, and Tiny Seed Literary Journal. Essays and poetry appear in book collections: Field Notes from the Montana Natural History Center; Placed, An Encyclopedia of Central Oregon; and a poems in Central Oregon Writers Guild 2023 and 2024 Literary Collections. She’s also written award-winning interpretive wayside exhibits.

In 2024, Marina wrote a series called “Every Wild Place Has a Story” for Oregon Wild’s 50th anniversary. She served as the Greater Hells Canyon Council’s 2023-2025 Artist-in-Residence with watercolor artist Robin Coen.

Through prose and poetry, Marina seeks to bridge the divide separating people from nature. She’s particularly drawn to kingfishers, free-flowing rivers, ancient forests, waterfalls, alpine wildflowers, rocky coasts, and roadless areas. A hiker, backpacker, and birder, Marina also tend a pollinator and bird-friendly yard. She is a board member of the Greater Hells Canyon Council.

Marina has a master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Montana and an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Oregon.