How Collaboration Can Make for a Wildlife-Friendlier Future with Kate Gersh, Ep.101

This is another episode of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program series!

In a place where moose wander through neighborhoods and grizzlies sometimes cross backyard fences, living alongside wildlife takes creativity, cooperation, and care. The Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is proving that when communities come together, including volunteers, landowners, agencies, and visitors alike, they can create lasting solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.

In this episode, Associate Director Kate Gersh shares how this small but mighty organization helps the Greater Yellowstone community coexist with the wild neighbors that make Jackson Hole so special. From pulling down old barbed-wire fences to hand-removing invasive weeds and collecting valuable wildlife data, Kate’s volunteers are showing that conservation success depends on everyone’s participation- not just scientists or professionals.

Kate and I first met through the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program, where we worked together on a global bat conservation project. It’s been incredible to see how she continues to carry that same collaborative spirit into her work today.

Highlights

• How community volunteers have become the lifeblood of wildlife conservation in Jackson Hole.
• Why collaboration among ranchers, agencies, nonprofits, and residents leads to solutions that last.
• Why conservation needs communicators, fundraisers, and advocates just as much as biologists.

What YOU Can Do

Inspired by Kate’s work? Here are some simple ways to help make your own community more wildlife-friendly:

• Volunteer your time with local conservation projects or citizen science programs.
• Use bear-resistant trash cans and secure garbage to keep wildlife safe and wild.
• Plant native species to support pollinators and local ecosystems.
• Support local conservation groups- your voice, time, or donation matters.
• Advocate for smart land-use policies that protect wildlife movement and habitat.
• Talk about coexistence and help spread understanding of how people and wildlife can thrive together.

Resources

• Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation website
• Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program, that brought Kate and me together, is accepting applications for its next class of young wildlife professionals. Apply here and tell them I sent you!
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation Facebook 
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation Instagram
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation  YouTube

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Transcript

Crystal: Hey friends, if you're here, I'm going to assume that you're interested in environmental stories, and in that case, I wanna recommend that you go check out the Healthy Seas podcast. I host that show for a fantastic marine conservation organization called Healthy Seas. The guests are all about making waves around the world to protect our oceans.

Go dive in and take a listen.

I am Crystal DiMiceli and welcome to the Forces for Nature Show. Do you find yourself overwhelmed with all the doom and gloom you hear of these days? Do you feel like you as just one [00:00:45] person, can't really make a difference? Forces for nature cuts through that negativity. In each episode, I interview someone who is working to make the world more sustainable and humane.

Join me in learning from them and get empowered to take action so that you YouTube can become a force for nature.

Today, we’re heading to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—home to grizzlies, moose, elk, and an incredible array of wildlife that share the land with a growing human community. At the heart of this coexistence is the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, a small but mighty organization that relies on volunteers, partnerships, and a whole lot of creativity to help people and wildlife thrive together.

My guest is Kate Gersh, the Associate Director of the Foundation. Kate and her team believe that conservation isn’t just the work of scientists or agencies—it’s something a whole community can rally around. Kate and I first met years ago through the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program, where we worked side by side on a global bat conservation project. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of watching her career flourish as she’s helped shape one of the most inspiring community-based wildlife organizations I know.

In our conversation, Kate shares just what it takes to build a wildlife-friendly future and it just so happens that you can absolutely be a part of it.

Crystal: Hi Kate. Thank you so much for joining me on Forces for Nature. It's so great to have you. 

[00:00:04] Kate: Thanks, crystal. It's an honor to be here. very proud of you and your podcast, and I look forward to this next several, several little while. Thank you. So ask away

[00:00:15] Crystal: Well, let's get started with. Can you just tell us a little bit about the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation and the role that it plays in helping people and wildlife coexist in the greater Yellowstone [00:00:30] ecosystem? 

[00:00:30] Kate: so the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, I've had the privilege of working with for almost 10 years now, and we're all about helping people in wildlife share the same landscape.

We take a really practical approach, pulling out old barbed wire fences that block historical wildlife migration, corridors restoring habitat. Helping neighbors live responsibly in a in bear country and running citizen science projects where [00:01:00] people record wildlife sightings. So I like to say we're, we're small but mighty.

 We're a small organization, but by connecting everyday people to hands-on action. So we have a huge volunteer core, and so surprisingly, we make a big impact across Jackson Hole, Northwest Wyoming, and the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. 

[00:01:22] Crystal: That's very cool. I small but mighty is exactly what I had thought when I was reading about your organization and what you [00:01:30] guys do because you seem to be able to scale and have so much impact, but with such a small core staff. So I'm excited to, to dive deep into that. 

[00:01:41] Kate: Mm-hmm. Yeah. There's just five of us full-time we grow a little bit more in the summer with some field technicians and whatnot, but our volunteers are very, very much part of the team. and we're known as the volunteer organization.

[00:01:58] Crystal: What is the mindset around [00:02:00] nature and wildlife in the area that you work with, with the public and businesses, government agencies, et cetera? 

[00:02:08] Kate: what you'll hear a lot about here in this area is that wildlife is really the heartbeat of Jackson Hole. It's why people choose to live here and why millions of visitors come each year.

So we're surrounded by an incredible amount of public land. There's Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, the National Elk [00:02:30] Refuge, the Bridger Teton National Forest and State lands all overlap in this valley. So that proximity makes wildlife a daily presence in our lives. But it also means there are many different jurisdictions and perspectives to navigate.

there are real pressures, development, recreation, ranching to name a few, and agencies and landowners are constantly balancing those realities with [00:03:00] economics, politics, and logistics. Uh,the hopeful part is that nearly everyone here recognizes how Central wildlife is. To our identity and it's what makes Jackson Hole, Jackson Hole.

when we approach conversations with respect and a solutions oriented mindset, we usually find common ground, even if it takes time and patience. 

[00:03:24] Crystal: I love hearing that because I feel like so many of the episodes that [00:03:30] I do. That have anything to do with wildlife. We're always talking about human wildlife conflict.

And it sounds like perhaps there's a little bit more of, a common understanding and respect for living among the wildlife around you. Is that safe to say? 

[00:03:47] Kate: Yes. Yeah. In, in general. but we do have. A lot of visitation. so interacting with our visitorship is huge because, I mean, there aren't [00:04:00] many places in the world where you could have a grizzly bear walking through your backyard, even if it's a short-term rental that happens here.

But people are very, are caught very unaware, So, Education and outreach is really important to our visitorship. We also have new residents all the time. There's a lot of building and development. Uh, we had a lot of people move here during COVID, and we just can't take it for granted That.

People [00:04:30] think about how to live with wildlife if they're coming from the city. we have to give them some, you know, tools and the education, the messaging. And so that's a very collaborative effort in Jackson Hole, monks town and County, and a nonprofit such as Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation. we're always putting out the message of how we can be good neighbors with wildlife.

[00:04:55] Crystal: That sounds amazing. I, I definitely have to get out there and visit. [00:05:00] So let's go back to talking about the volunteers. 

[00:05:03] Kate: Yes, you do. Yes. 

[00:05:04] Crystal: I've promised you for years I would visit. Yeah. I really need to make that happen.

[00:05:09] Kate: We will get you out in the field too. I'll put you to work, Crystal. I would love it. 

[00:05:13] Crystal: I I would love to get a taste of what you do because it just seems like so much fun. And then just to be immersed in nature while you're working doesn't really seem like work. So I would be a very willing volunteer. and so speaking of volunteers, let's [00:05:30] go back to that because it's such a, . It seems to be at the heart of so much of the work that your organization does. Why are volunteers so essential to your mission?

[00:05:42] Kate: Oh, I can't say enough about our volunteers, so Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation started 32 years ago by locals, residents who saw, especially on our roads. They picked up that, wildlife vehicle collisions, were a big problem in the county. So [00:06:00] they organized to try and come up with solutions to that problem.

So that's how we started. And then pretty soon the next area of focus. And need for volunteers was our Wildlife Friendlier Fence program and that's where we remove or modify fence on the landscape that's prohibiting safe animal migration. but really, to sum it up, volunteers are the lifeblood of everything we do.

And [00:06:30] whether it's 25 people out on a Saturday pulling miles of old barbed wire fence or like this past. Saturday, upwards of 30 neighbors gathering to knock crab apples off a tree. So bears don't wander into subdivision and get food rewards. and continually we have citizen scientists logging wildlife observations day after day.

So our volunteers multiply what our small staff could, could accomplish on our own. [00:07:00] And. I think what makes it powerful is they're not just filling gaps, they're extending our reach in ways we could never dream of as a small nonprofit. every action, big or small, adds up to real impact on the ground for wildlife.

[00:07:14] Crystal: So cool. 

[00:07:16] Kate: Can you share a story where volunteer involvement directly led to meaningful impact for wildlife? 

Yeah, I have so many. but I think the one that's, stood out for me in these [00:07:30] past few years is, it's a story that stands from. Our work with volunteers removing in noxious invasive weeds off the landscape.

And so we started by adopting Coburn Meadow, which is on the Bridger Teton National Forest. It's um.A very popular dispersed campsite and a trail head that leads into the back country. It's really important elk habitat that's just become [00:08:00] overrun with not just invasive weeds, but the noxious invasive weeds.

So some of the worst out there. so this is part of a countywide effort, but our, Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, we. I, I say, adopted the 35 acres because, we're doing this weed removal with volunteers mechanically, no spraying, just our hands. And so we're committed to coming back each summer to Coburn Meadow [00:08:30] to tackle the problem.

And the first year was really tough, you know, hand pulling and, and deadheading hundreds of plants. But when we returned the next season, which was last summer, the difference was massive and the infestation had been nearly cut in half, and we could see at the moment. We arrived that in just one summer we had made such a big difference.

So seeing that kind of progress is [00:09:00] really powerful. And volunteers could see with their own eyes that their effort mattered. And the bonuses, we also make it very social and fun, so people wanna keep coming back. but at Coburn Meadow, we just wrapped up our third. Summer doing, invasive weed management with volunteers.

And in just three summers we've minimized the problem so much that we've now adopted a second site on the forest for [00:09:30] invasive weed removal. 'cause we really, we needed more work for the volunteers to do. 

[00:09:35] Crystal: That's incredible. And by removing these invasive weeds, how is that benefiting the wildlife?

[00:09:41] Kate: Yep. Good question. Basically, we're improving the habitat for wildlife. and these, these weeds that we're targeting they're so aggressive that really unchecked their changing habitat. and so there's, there's, absolute benefits for [00:10:00] wildlife, to manage. Invasive weeds on the landscape, but also we're, improving recreation in that way.

We're improving, our water quality. It, there's such a ripple effect when you have these nasty weeds take over. They change soil composition. Everything's outta whack, if you will. but direct benefit for wildlife is basically we're, we're, giving back some really key [00:10:30] habitat for wildlife on the landscape.

[00:10:33] Crystal: And what do you think motivates people to keep showing up and volunteering their time? how does your organization foster that sense of community ownership?

[00:10:43] Kate: I say often that doing conservation work feels like one step forward and two steps back. Unfortunately, it can feel very overwhelming, but when you're side by side with your neighbors and making a dent, you can actually see [00:11:00] with your own eyes, it changes everything. And that's when people start to feel part of something bigger than themselves.

That sense of belonging is what sustains this work. people come back as they feel useful, they see results, and they know they're part of a community effort. We're also very intentional about. Celebrating those successes together. every year, for example, we host our annual volunteer potluck, which is a chance to share food swap stories [00:11:30] and really recognize what we've accomplished as a group.

We also share updates throughout the year, highlight individuals in our newsletters, and make sure people know the data they collect or the fence they pull is adding. Up to something meaningful. And so the culture of celebration and gratitude makes the hard work feel joyful, and I think that's what keeps people engaged year after year.

[00:11:54] Crystal: That sounds like a lot of fun. I was reading your strategic plan and [00:12:00] it highlights collaboration as one of the most effective ways to get things done. what does successful collaboration look like in Jackson Hole? 

[00:12:10] Kate: collaboration in Jackson Hole means, pulling together people who don't always sit at the same table, so, ranchers, scientists, government agencies, recreationists, business owners.

It's not always neat or easy because everyone comes with different priorities and pressures. [00:12:30] But when we create space for people to be honest about their needs and we focus on shared outcomes, the result is projects with staying power. So, for example, we've had ranchers concerned about maintaining their operations.

Wildlife managers focused on migration routes and recreation groups wanting access to trails. When you get all of these perspectives together, it can feel really messy at first. But the [00:13:00] magic happens when folks realize they all care deeply about the same wildlife, the same landscape. And that's when the conversation shifts from, you know, quote, my piece of the puzzle to our shared responsibility.

And it takes patience and trust, but that's. Makes the work durable And collaboration here isn't about quick wins, it's about building solutions that last for wildlife and for the community. Again, [00:13:30] it, it takes perseverance and, and patience. And just know that, you know, things don't often change overnight, especially when, there's a lot of people involved.

So I think, uh, the commitment and patience are two key ingredients to doing conservation work out here. 

[00:13:50] Crystal: So within those players that you were talking about or other players that exist. are there examples where these [00:14:00] partnerships have made a project possible that organization couldn't have done alone?

[00:14:05] Kate: Yeah. Our, our Wildlife Friendlier fencing program is a good example. It, it simply wouldn't work without ranchers allowing access and agencies helping with logistics, or take our road mitigation efforts. And going back to that wildlife vehicle collision problem that our volunteers identified almost three decades ago, we've made great strides Our area [00:14:30] with implementing wildlife, underpasses and overpasses. But I'm particularly thinking about a project just up the road from here. so the road mitigation work, it means working with YDOP. Wyoming, department of Transportation, county officials. there's been a lot of other, a number of other local nonprofits that have led to wildlife crossings that no single group could have pulled off alone.

and even, We [00:15:00] had a couple falls ago during a midterm election on a ballot, we had a SPET measure, see if I remember what the special, special excise tax that voters in the county approved. So, some tax dollars were steered towards. Putting in wildlife underpasses on a, a major intersection in our county where a lot of moose especially were being hit.

[00:15:30] So that's, that's pretty massive, you know, that even, took a ballot initiative. but YDO county officials, other nonprofits, a lot of just very concerned residents. That's been a, a long, big campaign in our area. and. Finally making massive headway and have some wildlife crossings in place. 

[00:15:51] Crystal: I am curious about the, how, you know, how have you been able to bring these [00:16:00] players together and be successful? Like what lessons can communities take from the way that you guys are doing things and apply it to their own challenges?

[00:16:12] Kate: many moons ago I did more conservation work in Africa. And I, I would say the communities in Africa and thinking about doing conservation work here in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, it's the same. [00:16:30] I think the lesson is to start by listening and not lecturing.

people know their landscapes and their livelihoods, and if you, you come in with all the answers, you'll lose trust right away. So instead, take the time to understand the local context, the economic realities, cultural values and histories that shape people's relationship with wildlife. From there. I think then you focus on finding common ground in [00:17:00] Jackson Hole.

It might be the recognition that wildlife is central to our identity in another place it could be, water security or agricultural resilience. But once you identify those shared values and you build small, achievable wins together. It might be one mile fence or one joint habitat project or even, you know, pilot monitoring effort.

Those successes create momentum and buy-in. [00:17:30] and as I was saying before, the process can feel really slow, sometimes messy. But that's how you build real lasting partnerships. And when people feel respected and, and included, they're more likely to stay at the table, and that's when change happens at the scale the landscape truly needs.

[00:17:48] Crystal: Thank you. That that's really important for people to know and, Walk away from this, 

from that, with.

You've said to 

me in the past [00:18:00] that you don't need to have a biology degree to make a difference in conservation. Could you talk about your own path and what led you here? 

[00:18:09] Kate: Yeah. I came into this field through the program management and fundraising side of nonprofits, but.

I've always loved wildlife and, and believe that conservation should be open to everyone. Um, my master's is actually in business, not biology. 'cause I realized early on that my [00:18:30] strengths were in management and administration. And those skills matter very much. Someone has to make sure the lights stay on in the office, that the gas tank in the work truck is full, and that the talented staff doing field work get paid.

And so that behind the scenes work may not be glamorous, but it's absolutely essential to keeping conservation moving forward. I have such a. A great position [00:19:00] with Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation that, even though really the emphasis of my job is office work, I spend so much time in the field. so I have, I have the best of both worlds, but yeah, I, I go to a conference once a year, that's on a college campus and I love going to the.

Mentoring lunch cause I, it's important for those studying wildlife sciences to understand that [00:19:30] someone needs to understand budgets. someone needs to leadership too. If you're, if you're leading an organization, you need skills on how to work with a board of directors. The needs are just huge, and so it's important for especially those coming up behind us that wanna do wildlife conservation work to realize that their skills might lend themselves to [00:20:00] areas of need that aren't the biological sciences.

[00:20:03] Crystal: And what kinds of skills outside those sciences are especially valuable? you would say, in today's conservation world? 

[00:20:12] Kate: well, conservation's about people just as much as it's about wildlife and you, you really can't support one without the other. So the best biologist in the world still needs someone who can raise.

Funds, manage a budget or communicate the story in ways that inspires people to [00:20:30] care. that's a role you play at Crystal. fundraising, communications, budgeting, facilitation, they're all as critical as field science and without them projects stall out. For example, you might have a great idea for a habitat.

Restoration project, but unless someone can write the grant, coordinate the partners and keep the logistics on track, you know, everything from ordering willow stakes to getting volunteers out there, it just won't happen. so skills like community [00:21:00] organizing, coalition building, conflict resolution, they're also valuable.

And if you can inspire others. Manage resources effectively or bring partners to the table and keep them there. You are not just supporting conservation, you're advancing it in ways that make the science possible 

[00:21:20] Crystal: 110%. I often find myself speaking to people and especially high schoolers, or even university students, [00:21:30] trying to get across the point that.

Whatever their passion is, they can put a green spin on it. one way or another they, could do engineering with, wildlife focus, uh, environmental sustainability focus. They could do architecture, you know, all sorts of things with this kind of spin on it. And it's so important to have those skills, especially if someone's passionate about those things because perhaps a biologist isn't [00:22:00] passionate about writing grants or doing communication or a million other of those things that you mentioned and they're what?

 Keeps the lights on and keeps things going. So they're 110% important. 

[00:22:14] Kate: Yeah, and you know, I should mention too, thinking about workout here, politicians are really important as well. we need those that have the aptitude for politics and advocacy and lobbying. that's [00:22:30] a huge role.

To play, to advance wildlife conservation. Those are not my skills, but fortunately there are folks out there that are paving the way for conservation even at the local, state, and federal government levels. 

[00:22:45] Crystal: That's a great addition. You're right, we, we need people who can advocate for all of this important work that's being done.

Even though you don't have the, I guess, quote unquote traditional background of a, [00:23:00] a conservation biologist, you find yourself doing all of these things that you would never have thought you would be doing.

can you tell me a story of one of them?

[00:23:10] Kate: So Crystal, when, when you find yourself out here, and if you come in summer, I'll take you to the songbird banding stations that we run in the summer.

and it's over the years 'cause of this work, I have found myself to be a federally permitted bird [00:23:30] bander, a line of work I never would've thought that I would be doing. But I went through training and now these stations we help run. one station's been going for over 30 years, the other one about 20.

So we've been crunching the data and I find myself working on a paper and analyzing. All of this data from our songbird banding stations. The statistics are like [00:24:00] way over my head, so I am, uh, soliciting a lot of help. But yeah, it's just a, an example of like, well, business major, associate director of a nonprofit.

I do a lot of management and administration, but then I'm also a permitted bird bander working on a statistical paper around. Monitoring avian productivity and survivorship. It's like, who would've thought, I never would've thought I'd be doing this work. [00:24:30] 

[00:24:30] Crystal: You could do 

[00:24:30] Kate: it all. Yeah. And I'm thankful for it.

It's a real challenge, but, 

[00:24:34] Crystal: well, it sounds like a lot of fun and keeps your days different. doesn't sound like you're gonna be getting bored anytime soon. 

[00:24:40] Kate: Oh, 

[00:24:41] Crystal: totally. 

[00:24:42] Kate: Not at all. 

[00:24:43] Crystal: Going back to the strategic plan that we mentioned. your strategic plan, sets ambitious goals for the next few years. What excites you most about the direction that the Jackson Hold Wildlife Foundation is going in? 

[00:24:57] Kate: Yeah, I think, what excites [00:25:00] me most in our strategic plan is the Habitat restoration program that we're defining and expanding.

specifically we're, we're scaling up low tech stream work. things like Beaver Dam analogs. Willow plantings, native seeding projects that bring back wetlands and support species from, you know, beavers to songbirds and, and help build [00:25:30] climate re resilience across our mountain landscapes.

Um,beavers were eradicated. Um.in the early, 19 hundreds from our landscape, and so we're really needing to bring more beavers back on the landscape. and so this is kind of a hot. Area of conservation work. Um,but it needs volunteer help and which is, again, Jack's Hole Wildlife Foundation can come to the table.

[00:26:00] and so I've had some training since last summer on how to. build a Beaver Dam analog and it's actually an analog. It's a lot of fun. Yeah. So basically it's, um, it's mimicking beaver engineering on the landscape, and so you can relocate beavers just bring them onto the landscape, but Especially in areas where the habitat's so degraded, you have to kind of entice them back.

So if we [00:26:30] mimic a beaver dam and start, having the water collect and pool on the landscape, then beavers will. The idea is that eventually they'll find themselves into that habit at um,take over. 'cause they're way better engineers than humans and bring back wetlands. 

[00:26:49] Crystal: and I'm also excited about. Our huge data set of wildlife observations our volunteers have been collecting for more than 15 years.

[00:26:59] Kate: [00:27:00] So a goal of ours and our strategic plan is, is to build even stronger partnerships with academic institutions and turn all of that great citizen science into published research, which then can directly shape wildlife management policy and decisions. So, yeah, there's so much, but beavers and data, I guess, gets me really excited thinking about our future.

[00:27:26] Crystal: That's exciting, and I can't wait to see how it [00:27:30] unfolds for you guys.

 How do you hope the Jackson Hole community and, and the listeners from wherever they are will continue to play a role in shaping a wildlife friendly future?

What can they do? What.

[00:27:44] Kate: Yes, I, I think in Jackson Hole, I hope that the community just keeps stepping up. Whether that's choosing bear resistant trash cans, volunteering on projects with Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, [00:28:00] or lending their voice in support of wildlife. everyone, one of those choices helps reinforce that wildlife is a part of who we are.

And I think for listeners elsewhere, the the message is the same. You don't need to live next to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Parks to make a difference. Wherever you are, you can make small changes like securing your garbage plant. Native Plant species. Support your local conservation groups.

Um, advocate for [00:28:30] smarter land use policies. They may seem like modest steps, but they add up quickly. And when thousands of people across different communities each take small and thoughtful actions, the, that ripple effect is enormous. And that's how we move toward a truly wildlife friendly future, not just in Jackson Hole, but everywhere.

[00:28:53] Crystal: to wrap up, you and I know each other because we met through the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders [00:29:00] program. In fact, we were in the same group working on a BAT project, which was amazing, and still one of the. Most pivotal experiences of my life for many reasons. I would like to know what your EWCL experience was like.

[00:29:18] Kate: Well, same crystal. My EWCL experience was really, it was transformative. I'm, I'm especially proud of our EWCL BAT project. We worked for years really [00:29:30] to develop sustainable back guano harvesting guidelines in Southeast Asia. As random as it sounds ultimately. Yeah. And then those guidelines were ultimately adopted by the IUCN Species Survival Commission at specialist group.

I think I got that right. Ripple effects from there. crystal, I remember several years ago now, but you had Dr. Rodrigo Mein or Mein? Mein, sorry. Yeah, I think that's right. the [00:30:00] Batman of Mexico. Really well known, bat researcher. He was on your podcast and he talked about adapting. Our guidelines for Mexico.

I remember, and he even said they were being used to develop a bat friendly guano fertilizer product that would then be sold at places like Home Depot. I think you said when you heard that you nearly fell off your chair. That's so true. Yeah. And I'm like, that's such a tangible [00:30:30] outcome. Yeah. you know, a real world conservation that.

Even creates a product that consumers can support. so basically spending their dollars in support of bat conservation. So that's one of the most impactful projects of my career. and proof that collaboration and creative thinking can really ripple out across the world. I loved that our EWCL bat project was, a team.

Really, we were spread out across the globe, yet we still managed to [00:31:00] orchestrate. Work even in very rural Cambodia. and so that experience showed me that no matter where we're based, when people bring their skills and passion to the table and credible things can happen. and Crystal, I have another, like a very personal story 

[00:31:18] Crystal: Yeah.

Please share. Related to you. Yeah, I'd 

[00:31:21] Kate: love to hear it. Yeah. Which is, I mean, that, that, that's all very personal, but Maybe a quirky little side story. When I [00:31:30] moved from DC to Jackson Hole about 13 years ago, I wanted to push myself to do something out of the ordinary and honestly a little uncomfortable.

especially as a way to meet new people. So I joined the local women's Rolly Derby. League and my derby name in Alter Ego became Bat Chick Crazy. I remember. That's too, right? And inspired. Yeah. Inspired by my work with EWCL and our back Guano guidelines, which had really shifted the [00:32:00] course of my career, in conservation.

And so to this day, people in Jackson still call me Batty or Bat Chick. And while it started as a bit of fun, it's, it's also a reminder of how much those EWCL years shaped who I am and the work I continue to do. It's a, a quirky piece of my story that shows conservation can influence your life in, in some of the most unexpected and joyful ways.

[00:32:26] Crystal: And if I'm not mistaken, you also have a bat tattoo, [00:32:30] right? No, we 

[00:32:30] Kate: were supposed to 

[00:32:31] Crystal: get matching bat tattoos. I remember that. I thought you guys, you ended up doing it. 

[00:32:35] Kate: I have a little star. No, it was a 

[00:32:38] Crystal: star. That's right. Oh, man. And yeah, I, I dropped the ball on that. We did go look at tattoos together. 

[00:32:46] Kate: Yeah, maybe when we next see each other, we should just go get matching bat tattoos.

I don't know. That doesn't sound like a bad 

[00:32:52] Crystal: idea. I mean, it is the 20th anniversary. I'm down. 

[00:32:56] Kate: Yeah, I'm down. You got I, I'm your girl. [00:33:00] Okay. 

[00:33:00] Crystal: Oh, no. So what did I just get myself into?

This has been awesome. Uh, Kate. It's been so, I'm, I'm so happy to Have met you through EWCL and have had you, in my life for the last, oh goodness. Has it been 15 years? I might be 15 years now. Right. it's been such a pleasure to see your evolution and the work that you're doing.

You're making. Such [00:33:30] amazing impact and thank you for all that you do for making a difference. 

[00:33:36] Kate: Well, thank you Crystal. I think, like your story, my story, the story of Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, it's about ordinary people making extraordinary contributions and it all gives me hope. And it's what? I think I'd love your listeners to take away wherever you are, you can make a real difference and like your podcast title says, crystal, [00:34:00] we can all be forces for nature and you make me feel like a force for nature.

So thank you very much. This has been really fun. 

[00:34:09] Crystal: Thank you. I'm so glad we did this.

What I love about Kate’s story is that it reminds us conservation isn’t something that happens in isolation. When neighbors, volunteers, scientists, ranchers, agencies—even visitors—all come to the table, that’s when the solutions truly last.

And while the challenges can feel overwhelming, Kate shows us that every fence pulled, every wildlife sighting recorded, every hour volunteered really does add up to something bigger. It’s proof that ordinary people can create extraordinary change when they work together.

So whether you live in the shadow of Yellowstone or in the middle of a city, remember: your voice, your skills, and your time matter. Because building a wildlife-friendly future isn’t just the job of a few—it’s the work of all of us.

Oh! And, a shameless plug. If you are loving what you are hearing about EWCL, applications are now open for young conservation professionals to apply. Just go to https://www.wildlifeleaders.org/about/interested-applicants

Don't forget to go to forces for nature.com and sign up to receive emailed show notes, action tips, and a free checklist to help you start taking practical actions today. [00:34:30] Do you know someone else who would enjoy this episode? I would be so grateful if you would share it with them. Hit me up on Instagram and Facebook at Becoming Forces for Nature, and let me know what actions you have been taking.

Adopting just one habit could be a game changer because imagine if a million people also adopted that. What difference for the world are you going to make today?