the willamette vole management group
Building science-based, grower-led strategies for vole management
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Keisha Okafor, Logo Design & Illustration
Emily Vriesman, Brand & Web Design
Kika Tuff, Creative Direction
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Brand Strategy
Logo Design
Content Strategy & Development
Creative Direction and Production
Custom illustrations
Web Design & Build
Copywriting
In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the heartbeat of American grass seed and hazelnut production, a small native rodent has become the center of a big ecological puzzle. The gray-tailed vole, an endemic species found only in this region, moves through boom-and-bust population cycles that can devastate crops, spread disease, and ripple through entire ecosystems. During peak years, growers have reported crop losses as high as 90%, and recent studies show more than 30% of voles carry Leptospira, a zoonotic bacterium that threatens human and animal health.
At the center of this challenge is the Willamette Vole Management Group, a collaborative research and community partnership founded by Dr. Josh Twining of Oregon State University. His vision: to bring growers, scientists, agencies, and conservationists together to co-design solutions rooted in evidence and trust. Rather than viewing the vole as a pest to be eradicated, this initiative sees it as a key player in a complex ecological system that can be understood, predicted, and managed through science and cooperation.
When Dr. Twining came to Impact Media Lab, he needed a brand that could match the ambition of that mission — one that communicated science and community in equal measure. Our goal was to create an identity that felt credible, collaborative, and nature-based, reflecting both the grounded reality of agricultural life and the innovative energy of data-driven ecology.
We hope you love the results ❤️
The brand
warm,
energetic,
adventurous
Our process
We began with brand strategy, defining the group’s values — collaboration, trust, and data-driven decision making — as the backbone of the brand story. Through iterative design and writing sessions, we developed a voice that speaks directly to growers and scientists alike: rigorous yet welcoming, honest about the problem yet hopeful about the potential for innovative solutions.
Our creative team designed custom illustrations and iconography inspired by Oregon’s agricultural landscape — open fields, falcons, long-tailed weasels, and the gray-tailed vole. We paired these visuals with a warm, earth-toned palette drawn from the Willamette Valley’s grasslands, crops, and river systems. Finally, we implemented the full design on Squarespace, creating a clean, functional website where stakeholders can share updates, join meetings, and access resources that connect research to real-world practice.
The results
The Willamette Vole Management Group brand is rooted in collaboration and stewardship. The design blends organic textures and natural colors — blues, golds, and soil browns — with clear typography that underscores transparency and trust. The logo embeds the vole within the lettering, symbolizing coexistence rather than conflict.
Together, these design choices create a brand that feels grounded in place and purpose. It communicates a shared commitment to building community-led, science-based solutions that sustain both agriculture and ecosystems.
We’re proud to help Dr. Twining and the Willamette Vole Management Group bring their message to life — a story of science, trust, and the power of working together to live alongside nature.
Custom species illustrations
Lab Website - Homepage
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