Rebecca Olson, 35

By Lorna Collier

The natural world always has been a large part of Rebecca Olson’s life. She grew up in Grand Island, Neb., loving birds and plants. She pursued her passion in college, earning a master’s degree in ecology from Colorado State University.

Olson — who came to Rockford 10 years ago with her husband — worked for the Natural Land Institute and Winnebago County Forest Preserve District, before starting her own consulting firm, Olson Ecological Services, in 2006.

“My business is geared toward bringing the beauty of nature into daily lives,” Olson said. She works with nonprofits, small governments and landowners to conserve and restore land, and with developers to plan projects that set aside more green space and make better use of natural resources, such as natural grasses that don’t require mowing, pesticides, or irrigation systems. She also brings these services to homeowners and business owners.

A mother of two, Olson is on the board of directors of the Natural Land Institute and Zion Development Corporation. With the institute, she has directly helped it protect more than 1,100 acres of natural land in northern Illinois. Olson is working with both organizations to bring a “green” educational series to Rockford, so the public can learn about green technology, green infrastructure, conservation and other topics.

Olson is “very passionate” about her field, she said, “because it does so much good for the community. It’s my work — but it’s also a way of giving back to the community.”