BY KARL MEYER, CONSERVATION PROJECTS MANAGER
Annual monitoring on horseback at the Tollenaere Easement along the Cd’A River.
You know that feeling when you finish a good book and you're so sad that it’s over you wish there were another hundred (or five-hundred) pages? Last week I finished re-reading a novel with an ending so ridiculously good* that even though I’m sad it’s over I wouldn’t change a single thing because it was perfect. In sitting down to write this reflection post on my time working for Palouse Land Trust, I realize that this is a pretty good metaphor for the last three years.
I started working for PLT during the last semester of my undergraduate degree at the University of Idaho. I was somewhat less “green” than my cohorts, as a non-traditional student with a rich and varied life leading up to my return to higher education, but though I spent years as a barista and as a line cook and as a student, this was the first job I could ever really consider a “career” - and boy did I have a lot to learn. My program at U of I was excellent, but nothing could have fully prepared me for learning how to write complex, 30ish-page-long, legal real-estate documents ha!
Aside from the technical elements of my job, PLT bestowed upon me many lessons that I’ll hold dear for the rest of my working life. I learned what it is like to work in a position that provides the autonomy to pursue projects that utilize my unique skill set for the benefit of the organization (see: the Palouse Land Trust Conservation Plan). I learned what it is like to work for a small nonprofit, and to wear many (many) hats to get the job done. I learned how to fail in a professional setting, and how to learn from that failure to implement systems that will prevent similar failures in the future. I learned (well, I’m still learning) how to manage many projects at once, and how to remain productive in a somewhat ambiguous work environment. And, most importantly, I learned what it is like to work with a wonderful team of fully supportive colleagues - and I doubt that now I’ll ever accept anything less!
Karl, atop the Dave Skinner Ecological Preserve
Speaking of my colleagues, PLT has provided me with more than just lessons, it has provided me with heaps and heaps of inspiration. Jaime, who just had her 7-year anniversary working for the land trust, inspires me everyday with her tenacity and sharp sense of humor. Be it nature walks with frequent stops for squirrels and native plants, or White Claws on the patio, I really can’t imagine a more fun coworker. Marcel constantly inspires me with his commitment to conservation and equity, and his ability to form genuine connections with pretty much anyone, pretty much instantly, is truly amazing. Lovina’s wealth of institutional knowledge is certainly also inspiring, though it’s her kindness and empathy that really shines to me.
Palouse Land Trust’s Board of Directors has been another constant source of inspiration. How this organization is lucky enough to have such an incredible cast of expert locals regularly volunteering their (extremely valuable) time is somewhat beyond me. The Board (and Advisory Board) Members that I regularly interacted with have taught me so much over the last three years, and even the ones I didn’t work directly with inspired me with their dedication to the organization and availability to provide expert guidance. I myself hope to serve as an Advisory Board Member on the Lands Committee moving forward, as I know first hand how important this work is.
You never know who you might meet on a monitoring visit.
While I would love to give every Board Member their own shoutout, I want to keep this post at least somewhat streamlined, but I do feel the need to specifically mention PLT President Emerita - Janice Smith-Hill. I have had the great pleasure of working closely with Janice as PLT’s legal counsel, as well as on the Lands Committee, and this woman is easily one of the most impressive people I have ever met. She was PLT Board President for most of my tenure at the Land Trust, she’s on every single committee, she is both practicing legal counsel AND teaches law at WSU, she plays pretty much every instrument known to man, is working on her Xth novel, and has a pun for literally every situation. Thank you for even associating with me, Janice!
Finally, and easily the greatest source of inspiration that PLT has provided me with, is our network of incredible landowners. Again, I can’t possibly mention all of the wonderful landowners that I’ve worked with, but here are a few examples to give you some essence of their awesomeness. I have worked with landowners that have spent six-figure sums of their own money on conservation and restoration on their property, and others who spend literally almost all of their free-time in retirement working as stewards of their land. I have been treated to farm-to-table brunches al-fresco, and tea on cabin stoops. I have gotten private access to some of the most beautiful and pristine slices of north-central Idaho and eastern Washington that still exist (and will continue to do so in perpetuity), and I’ve been told many candid and emotional stories outlying people’s connections to the land that they love. It has been such a great honor.
On November 7th I will begin my new career as an Environmental Scientist at Alta Science & Engineering. I have had the great fortune to work with Alta extensively through my role here at Palouse Land Trust, and am truly excited to join the ranks of such a technically skilled and professional contracting organization. It is in situations such as these that people will often use the phrase “onward and upward,” though, considering my experience with PLT and the incredible mission of the organization, “onward and onward” feels more genuine. My time with Palouse Land Trust has been a very, very good book, and I hope that the end of my chapter here ties up my storyline with grace and satisfaction.
*The book, for those of you who are curious, was The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi - and I highly recommend it to adults who aren’t squeamish! It’s a very dark (and thrilling) story about a not-too-distant-future America ravaged by climate change.