Unbeknown to social media and other outlets, our work has thoughtfully continued for the past few years and I hold a great amount of admiration for our mountain community as we continue to move through our stories together; as seasons change and people and wildlife come and go. When this journey started, I couldn’t have imagined the twists and turns having accompanied us in different ways, through various lenses. I continue to have a deep sense of gratitude for the gift to have grown up here and now witnessing my own children living in such a dynamic place.

These days, it feels right to walk with more questions instead of searching for more answers, all while remaining open to the notion that perhaps there are no true experts in the fields of complex living systems. Perhaps we won’t find exact answers to the questions we humans have as we live and work on a wild and precious landscape. Can we still thrive in the unknowing? I think so.

Maybe part of some sort of answer is to be in more process together- valuing ideas different from our own, open to the notion that the changing landscape itself holds more lessons of adaptability than we’ve given credit to and open to the idea that understanding really happens when those who are present feel a sense of belonging. ‘Those’ being so much more than just human community.

We’ve learned through hard knocks that with risks and change come disturbances, often fearful and unsettling from our human perspective, And yet disturbance is fundamentally essential and a natural process in the resiliency of an ecosystem. And as my wise friend Tuck so eloquently shared- it offers an opportunity for an ecosystem to express itself, for a new song to begin.

For me, there is safety in knowing we are all in this together with much perspective to listen to, whether it be from the land itself or our fellow inhabitants. Another question emerges- can we quiet ourselves enough to listen?

My own values in the work I choose to do in this community and beyond anchors in the notion that we all belong to each other. It’s in the moments we are aware, engaged, stay curious, and offer deep listening together that opportunity for clarity and willingness emerge.

So, whether it’s driving (very) slowly up and then down this old dirt road, picking up trash along the way; not smoking outside while visiting during fire season; sharing well-informed and objective understandings around the complexities of grizzly bears and humans and our overlapping habitats; and being thoughtful and accountable when visiting the rural, we greatly appreciate the refrain from contributing to what often feels like a large human footprint, even if it is just to catch a glimpse of a grizzly bear. We too understand it is an amazing sight to see. And in those times we all have the privilege (and it really is a privilege) to enjoy public roads and lands, might we be open to exploring our own relationship with contribution? What can we offer of ourselves when we visit these unique and wild places? Whether we are aware or not, we often come to these places to take something- a photo, a harvest, a memory, an antler or shed, grazing utilization, peace of mind, and more. How might we humans positively contribute to a more balanced relationship with our natural world?

In 2020 and 2021, the Tom Miner Basin Association shifted some of its focus to observing, analyzing, and collecting landscape data in a variety of forms with the hopes of better understanding the dynamic system we continue to live and work within. With the help of our amazing colleague Blakeley, and our MSU intern Michael, we continued observing and collecting data about the complex roles our living soils and plant/wildlife community play as they continue to diversify and adapt to changing (micro and macro) ecosystems, wildlife movement, regenerative agriculture practices, and more.

We are committed to sharing insights we’ve stumbled upon through our own curiosity, engagement, and importantly- collaboration. As always, feel welcome to contact the Association regarding community events, shared- learning opportunities, human/livestock/carnivore conflict reduction tools and techniques, and direction on how to find professional consultants in your area in the fields of living systems and soils, wildlife biology, and regenerative agriculture. There is so much to learn and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue doing so.

Humbly and curiously yours,