Watershed Profile: Nate Heili
October’s Watershed Profile features the one and only, Nate Heili! Nate has been an active volunteer of the Gallatin Watershed Council for several years. He has many talents that include wielding a shovel, fearlessly leading volunteer teams, and having a positive attitude. Not to mention, he is a graduate student studying macroinvertebrates within irrigation ditches and canals. Make sure you ask him about his research, and how he manages to thrift the best outfits! Thank you for dedicating your time and enthusiasm to the Lower Gallatin Watershed, Nate. Read the following Q&A to learn more about what really gets Nate jazzed about our home watershed.
Q&A:
1. What is your favorite thing to do within the watershed?
I love riding bikes, and Bozeman has plenty of great gravel options where you don't even need to get in your car. My favorite route heads through Story Mill Park where I often see birds (and doggos) enjoying the East Gallatin. I continue on to the M to get an overview of the valley before skirting west next to Bridger Creek. This path takes you all the way to Bozeman Pond where you can connect with trails out in Cherry Creek fishing access. Recently, I've been seeing massive herds of red wing black birds grouping up for winter migration. I also know there's a unique species of Hemiptera (in the family Nepidae) that lives in the pond. After bugging around, I head back and enjoy a beer at Bozone. Rough life we live in the Gallatin watershed! It's a simple reminder of the joy and diversity of life that can live even in the city limits.
2. What inspires you most about GWC's mission?
The mission is great, but it's really the PEOPLE! It's easy to volunteer for the GWC because the people who run the show are just straight up fun to be around. Plus, picking up dog poop behind Costco is kind of fun in a masochistic way.
3. What volunteer events are you most excited about?
Planting trees along urban waterways has been fun. I'm happy to see that urban and agricultural waterways (like ditches) are beginning to receive more attention. These waterways are often overlooked, but they are incredibly abundant in the valley, and support cool critters that I particularly enjoy studying :)
4. What's your favorite book or poem?
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
5. What do you want the Lower Gallatin Watershed to look like within 5 years?
I want to see kids running around in parks, touching grass. I want to see more diverse people and equitable housing. I want to see more buses and bikes, less cars. I want to see agricultural lands, not cheaply built condos and teslas. I want the city of Bozeman to invest in the resources that attract people to move here, and for the people who move here to feel welcome by all. I want to continue to enjoy all the things I love about Bozeman, but be open to change. I want to preserve the outstanding character of this watershed community which gives me so much hope for the future. <3
Thank you, Nate! We’re lucky to have you here in the Lower Gallatin Watershed.
Pictured (left to right): 1. Nate rocking some crushed velvet pants. 2. Nate basking in the sun after a bike ride. 3. Nate leading a volunteer team during the Fall Gallatin Watershed Cleanup. 4. Wielding a shovel and planting trees at the Softball Complex.