Steward of the Month: Alzada Roche!

Alzada originally came to Gallatin Valley as an AmeriCorps member with the Montana Conservation Corps in 2015, and has worked in conservation field jobs around the Greater Yellowstone Area since that time. She is currently a graduate student at MSU studying aquatic ecology, and recently made the move to Belgrade (a.k.a. Belgreat). Thank you for your stewardship Alzada, you rock! Read the Q&A below to find out more about our Steward of the Month!

Q&A:

1. What is your favorite thing to do within the watershed? 

In order of height in the watershed: swimming in rivers, streams, and lakes, gardening with my friends in the Langhor community gardens, and communing with wildflowers in high mountain meadows.

2. What excites you most about GWC's mission? 

Everything? I think service is the core of a vibrant community. GWC organizes wonderful, educational service opportunities that accommodate a broad variety of types of engagement. The more we know about our place, and the more we do for each other, the better we all live. 

 3. What ongoing restoration projects/stewardship activities are you most excited about? 

Oh gosh, they are all so good! Any in-stream project gets me pretty excited, but I also love how simple the act of planting a tree in town can be.

4. What's your favorite book? 

I love The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich, The River Why by David James Duncan, and Where Rivers Change Direction by Mark Spragg. I'd say my book niche is "western poetic nonfiction" with a particular literary fascination around sheep herding.

5. What do you want the Lower Gallatin Watershed to look like within 5 years? 

I'd like to see the Lower Gallatin have thriving ecological communities (both terrestrial and aquatic), great quality of life for everyone on the economic spectrum, and lots of support for our agricultural producers. It's a tall order, but I think we can do it!