Last Sunday was another fabulous day in the creek. We had a great group
of kind, hard working people. Out there we witnessed a remarkable change
in the creek indicating that we have a new beaver friend. Deb was telling me
that she was out by the site in August and the newly built dam that we saw
this Sunday was not present. It made the data collection for specifically
velocity an interesting challenge. However, we were over the moon because
beavers are great indicators of healthy and productive ecosystems. The
excitement in the air was filled with us feeling so grateful to be collecting data
amidst such a recent change in the ecosystem.
I've started regularly attending these Sunday Stream Team outings upon me
fulfilling the role of Communication Coordinator at WEN, and I do not hesitate
to say that Stream Team is the shining light at the end of a long week.
I always look forward to meeting new faces and learning with them in the creek.
No matter what the weather looks like, I'll be there.
This site, site 10, has a lot of significance to me an my relationship with WEN.
A while back, near the end of October 2020, I had just settled into my move here
and was thrilled about all of the amazing backcountry access and mountain
biking trails. I could not stop exploring. On a chilly fall day, I was biking Snow Bowl
Overlook, with not a clue in the world that it would be one of the steepest, longest
and most agonizing climbs of my life. I wasn't quite mentally prepared to face the
sharp coldness that came with the first snowfall of winter on the way down. Now,
before I get ahead of myself, don't get me wrong, I love these types of adventures.
It was a very type two fun experience, were you don't realize that it was worth it until
much further after the event at hand. On this crazy downhill, my partner, Carver and
I stopped almost every five minutes to blow gusts of our remaining hot air in our bodies
into our gloves. It was a fun downhill, and the colors of the forest were bursting with
radiant fall colors, the type of colors that make you smile. Bright yellows, oranges, and
reds with the subtle splash of greens were constantly pulling me out of my freezing frenzy.
As we made our way down Spring Gulch we merged onto the final stretch on the
Rattlesnake Creek flowing right along side the trail. Then there they were, WEN's
Stream Team. I had no idea who they were at the time and all I knew that I was
struggling to find a job in Missoula water world (a world that I so deeply care about
and feel very passionate about pursuing a career in) so I beamed with excitement.
Carver and I immediately stopped and there was Deb, eager to talk with us. Of
course, I started my roll of scattered thoughts and questions.. "Who are you guys?
What are you doing? Are you taking samples from this stream? Oh my gosh
I want to do this!!! How can I get involved?!" I feel like I said all of these things
at once, but in real life I was really trying to play it SUPER cool. All the while
I forgot about my freezing fingers and toes.
The following week, I made it a goal for myself to not let Deb and this fabulous
non profit slip through my fingers. So Carver and I went out and volunteered
with them. My first hands on experience with Stream Team, I was assigned to
conduct cross sections with Aissa, and little did I know that around that time
this year, I would be teaching this portion of Stream Team myself. A leadership
position that would allow me to grow in ways I could've never imagined at
that time.
Thank you WEN for taking me in, and being so trusting of me even if the first
time you met me I was blanketed head to tow in dirt and was shivering, like a
crazy wild lady!
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