Jim Manolis
Director of Forest Strategy and Stewardship, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
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Areas of Expertise
Forest biodiversity and habitat management, ornithology, climate change adaptation and mitigation
Biography
Jim Manolis is the Director of Forest Strategy and Stewardship for The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. He joined the Conservancy in 2014 as Forest Conservation Program Director, and since that time his program has grown substantially in scope. His team works with government, tribal, corporate and non-profit partners to increase the health and resilience of existing forest, reforest areas that have lost forest cover, and protect areas with exceptional biodiversity and climate mitigation value.
In 2017, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Jim to the Minnesota Forest Resources Council, a multi-stakeholder group that advises the governor and legislature on forestry and forest conservation policy.
Prior to TNC, Jim worked in numerous forest-related roles at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for 19 years, serving as a Conservation Planner, Conservation Science Policy Team Leader, and lead staff for DNR’s Climate and Energy team. Before DNR work, Jim studied forest birds as part of his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota. During college, he worked as a canoe guide in the Boundary Waters for YMCA Camp Menogyn. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and dog Luna, and frequently travels north for work and play. Favorite activities include birding, canoeing, hiking, and Nordic skiing.
Forest stories
Resilient Forests
We are working to plant trees, prevent wildfires and build resilience in Minnesota’s precious forests.
Highway 61 Reforested
Replanting forests on the North Shore of Lake Superior is a route to forest resiliency for Minnesota's Northwoods.
Trees for Trout
We're restoring climate-resilient forests to ensure the future of an essential Minnesota pastime—trout fishing.