John Persell

Oregon Wild

John Persell grew up in Northern Minnesota, where he spent most of his time outside exploring the surrounding woods and wetlands, including the nearby Chippewa National Forest. He completed his J.D. at Southern Illinois University School of Law, and then pursued an LL.M. in environmental and natural resources law at Lewis and Clark Law School, which brought him to Oregon. Since then, John has worked for several groups on public lands and forest management issues, including Biodiversity Conservation Alliance in Wyoming and Pacific Rivers Council in Oregon. John also served as a staff attorney for Western Watersheds Project, where he litigated claims under the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and the National Forest Management Act. As part of the Oregon Wild team, John helps litigate destructive logging projects authorized by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, and also supports the organization's climate and wildlife programs. In his free time, John enjoys exploring and recreating on public lands.