In Service Of A Wild Place
A ridge along the stateline during a GBCA volunteer trip. As part of her BSWC placement, Hope leads volunteer trips in the Great Burn
My name is Hope Sampson, and this year I’m serving as GBCA’s Big Sky Watershed Corps (BSWC) member from January - November, filling the role of Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator. The BSWC program is administered by Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) which is under the umbrella of AmeriCorps. You’ve probably heard about these organizations before, but might not fully know what they do…at least that was the case for me 7 months ago!
When I applied for BSWC, I was just 4 months out of undergrad and my summer jobs were coming to a close. Field work positions are hard to come by in the winter, and I very much wanted a job that put my college degree to use, so I was really excited to apply for something that was related to natural resources and would carry me through a full year of work. After a few rounds of applications / interviews with MCC staff and host sites, I was finally placed with Great Burn Conservation Alliance.
View of Dalton Lake as Hope and a volunteer group descended off the Stateline Trail
Over the first few months of the position, the entire cohort of BSWC members (there’s almost 40 of us!) gathered once a month to get acquainted with each other and learn about our new role as community servants. While we would each be serving with a different host site that had their own mission and values, we had a common denominator in that we all work for AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps was established in 1993 by President Clinton, with the mission to to “improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.” I was a little caught off guard when at the end of our January group meeting we were told we would be taking an oath to uphold the tenants of AmeriCorps. Putting your hand on your heart and reciting something with 40 other people can freak you out a bit ya know? But hey, I now had a job with a group that would keep me working outside, so I begrudgingly recited the pledge.
The Surveyor Lookout in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest during a volunteer trip led by Hope
Fast forward to August. I’ve now been working for GBCA and AmeriCorps for 7 months, and while this term has not looked like I expected it to, I am so grateful to be here. GBCA has been a wonderful host site. The people here are supportive and dedicated, and care deeply about the resource(s) they seek to conserve. Not dissimilar from the mission of AmeriCorps, GBCA’s mission is to “foster a connection between people and place in the great Burn Ecosystem.” As the Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, a large piece of this mission falls on my position. Over the term, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of community members regarding the history and significance of the Great Burn Ecosystem, challenges our public lands are currently facing, and how they can experience these places for themself and help protect them.
The interior of the Surveyor Lookout
I’ve also had the opportunity to get out and explore the Great Burn for myself! Between training, personal recreation, and volunteer trips, I’ve spent over 40 days in the Burn over the last 3 months, and have seen some incredible things. From witnessing lightning storms at the top of fire lookouts, to watching fingerling trout swim in the current of the mighty Lochsa River, to seeing mountain goats play on the rocks above Pearl Lake, in a short period of time I’ve been lucky enough to have experiences like these all around our mission area. And to think what I’ve seen is just a fraction of what the area has to offer! Long-time staff and board members are filled with stories of the incredible wildlife and rugged landscapes of the Burn.
I sincerely hope that everyone has the opportunity to witness the grandeur of a wild place at some point in their life, and have it change them. All who experience these places are better for it, whether they realize it or not.
As I’ve walked through the woods and reflected on my current position, I find myself thinking back to the AmeriCorps pledge I took those months ago. The promise to work diligently to make change in my community. After spending months working with the people at GBCA, that commitment doesn’t seem so scary anymore. It’s quite tangible when I look back at the trails cleared, the conversations had with community members, the policy work done, and the kids we’ve brought outside. It’s been an honor to spend this year working in service of the Great Burn, and I’m excited for what the final months of my term hold.