Watershed Community Profile: Alex Ciessau
Meet Alex Ciessau, GWC’s standout volunteer for the month of August! Alex can be found at all types of watershed events. Not only does he get his hands dirty planting trees or cleaning up our rivers and streams, but he asks thought-provoking questions during educational tours and always shows up with a smile. Thank you for your stewardship for the Lower Gallatin Watershed, Alex!
Alex (right) and his partner Eileen (left) sharing a smile after an adventure.
Read the Q&A below to continue learning more Alex:
Q&A:
1. What is your favorite thing to do within the watershed?
Getting out and getting dusty on my mountain bike or gravel bike, skiing, waddling and gasping (aka me trail running), and hiking (less gasping…still waddling).
2. What excites you most about GWC’s mission?
The collaboration, community engagement, community ownership, and the opportunity to bring many stakeholders and aspirations together. The watershed encompasses a complex and interwoven web of natural structures, people, and relationships. I think GWC does a great job of recognizing and working within that complexity.
3. What volunteer events are you most excited about?
I personally love the spring and fall Gallatin River cleanup events. I have the pleasure of chairing a committee of water and wastewater focused students and young professionals in Montana. It’s been a wonderful experience to volunteer and support the work of GWC. This fall will be the 3rd year our committee has volunteered and I’m hoping we can keep the tradition going strong!
4. What’s your favorite book or poem?
First off…I spend way too much time scouring through copious volumes of publications for all the latest mountain bike and alpine ski reviews. My partner Eileen can sadly attest… When I’m not dreaming about and/or drooling over the latest and greatest in bikes and skis, I’ll dabble in fiction and non-fiction reads. I’m a longtime fan of Christopher Paolini and his four book fiction series the “The Inheritance Cycle”. On the non-fiction side I’m presently chewing my way through Les Standiford’s “Water to the Angels” which regals the triumphs and tragedies of the one of the largest public water projects ever constructed.
5. What do you want the Lower Gallatin Watershed to look like within 5 years?
Cold, clear water
Access to explore and appreciate nature
Diverse ecosystems and communities
Most importantly…a place loved and cherished by the whole community as a priceless resource to be valued, protected, and shared by all.
Alex captured enjoying water in its solid form; snow.