WILD ROCKIES
March 2020 Newsletter
LET THE EXPLORING CONTINUE!

At WRFI Headquarters in Missoula, we're watching the snowline retreat to higher elevations, and a string of sunny days has us looking forward to green hills and wildflowers to come. March 26 will mark the beginning of our 2020 field season as we greet a new group of students in Green River, Utah for the start of their Spring Colorado Plateau course. Read on for our 2020 course schedule, job opportunities for WRFI alumni, spring photo contest, and more!
FIELD NOTES
Kicking off the 2020 field season!

Our first course of the new decade is gearing up to head into the field: we can't wait to head to the desert with our Spring Colorado Plateau crew on March 26! We're thrilled to have students joining us from schools in Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, and Vermont to explore the canyons and cultures of this extraordinary landscape. First up: a backpacking trip in Horseshoe Canyon. Check our blog for student updates while they're in the field!
LAST CALL FOR PHOTO
CONTEST ENTRIES!
Submission deadline is March 31

Enter our first annual photo contest by this month's deadline of MARCH 31. Send us your favorite original photo from your time in the field, whether it's a recent digital shot or a vintage image from the early days of the Institute. See our contest guidelines for details on entries and prizes!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Thank you, Kevin!

Board member Kevin Hood recently reached the end of his term on the WRFI board after seven years of service to the organization. As an advocate of merging academia with real-life work and field experiences, Kevin works at the University of Montana coordinating academic internships with a focus on international education. His enthusiasm for experiential, place-based education is contagious, and it was an honor to have his knowledge and experiences working in support of WRFI's mission. During Kevin's time on the board, he served on the Outreach Committee, helping WRFI to make many connections within Montana and across the country. In addition, he helped to design WRFI's Campus Ambassador Program for alumni, which was based upon a similar model at the University of Montana. Kevin will be missed, but we know there will always be a special spot for WRFI in his heart!
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:
Meet Gabby Zaldumbide
Gabby Zaldumbide is an alum who had the rare opportunity to take TWO different WRFI courses as an undergraduate student. Gabby first joined WRFI in 2015 as a student on Environmental Ethics , which she cites as the course that first exposed her to how American public lands were structured and managed. Prior to her first WRFI course, she had never been out West, nor had she ever been on a backpacking expedition. Her WRFI experience completely changed her worldview, shifting her perspective of North American public lands, land management, and opportunities for both work and recreation.

After completing her second WRFI course ( Restoration Ecology ) in 2016, she changed her major to wildlife biology, finished her degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and started a graduate program in project-based management at Western Colorado University, where she has continued to pursue applied management work. As a graduate student on track to complete her master’s degree in the spring of 2020, Gabby has gained experience setting up an adaptive management group, as well as building a wildlife and vegetation management/monitoring plan for a parcel of Forest Service land in Colorado. She hopes to continue working in wildlife management, figuring out how to best support teams working on large-scale management plans.

Thanks for your continued investment in our public lands, Gabby!

WRFI alumni: we want to hear what you’ve been up to! Take a minute to fill out our online alumni update form when you have a chance. We’d love to hear from you!
Wild Rockies Field Institute is a 501(c)3 organization. Your gift is fully tax deductible. Our Federal Identification Number is 81-0487425.