A new face in conservation: Intern Tayler Templin

If you've visited Nature Conservancy land in the Seeley-Swan area in the past few months, there's a good chance that you've run into Tayler Templin. An avid camper, hiker, angler and photographer, this 2019 University of Montana graduate is putting her skills to work as TNC's Recreation and Stewardship Intern. Tayler graduated in May with a degree in Parks, Tourism and Recreational Resources Management. Every day, Tayler is out on the ground making sure that everyone can enjoy and protect these lands. She joins us thanks to the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) and UM. This week, Tayler took time out of her busy schedule to share thoughts about this summer's work.

What led you to the field of recreational resources management?

I was born and raised in Butte, Mont. I grew up exploring the mountains and still love them. No matter how many times you visit Montana's mountains, there is always something new to discover. You have to pay attention. That causes us to live slower, more deliberate lives, which is key to Montanans' quality of life. It's so rewarding to help other people connect with the places I've fallen in love with.

How did you come to work for The Nature Conservancy?

Last summer, I worked for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation as a recreational resources technician near Whitefish. Although I had a lot of different options for this summer, I wanted to work for a nonprofit and find out about how they work. My adviser Libby Metcalf put me in touch with Steve Kloetzel, TNC's Western Montana Land Steward, who was offering this internship through MCC. It has been really interesting to see how quickly a nonprofit can work. There are fewer barriers to putting ideas to work than with a public agency. For example, I have worked on the Lakeview Trail. I know a lot of planning went in to it, but it has been exciting to see how quickly it has progressed.

What have you been up to this summer?

I patrol all of the 140,000 acres that TNC owns in this area. I try to focus in particular on the Placid Lake and Gold Creek areas, both because I enjoy them and because they get heavier use. That means checking on gates, patrolling campsites, and making sure that people are using good food storage practices to prevent human-wildlife conflicts. I have also worked with a Missoula County Youth in Restoration crew on restoration in the Twin Creek area and on trail projects like the Lakeview Trail.

What has been the best part of this work for you?

The wide variety of things I get to do. In addition to working on recreation, I get to help Mike Schaedel, TNC's western Montana forester, look at timber and prepare for prescribed fire or walk trail lines with Kloetzel and learn about native plants and invasives.

I love being out on the ground and talking to people who are enjoying the outdoors, whether they're campers, hikers or huckleberry pickers. If they're willing, I have them complete a recreational use survey that will help us understand how people are using the land and what they see as its best future.

What stands out to you about your interactions with people on the land?

We treat TNC property very much like we would public land, and it's great to see that most people want to take care of it. I enjoy the education component, too. For example, I might talk to someone about the reasons for keeping a clean camp to avoid human-wildlife conflict. I love it when I come by a few days later to see that things have changed: the dog food is put away, coolers are locked up, food items are stored in a hard-sided trailer or car. It's great to see people go to the effort to take care of the land for their neighbors and each other.

Though it can be nerve-wracking to approach strangers, everyone has been very welcoming. Most want to know more about the land. A lot of people assume that they are on National Forest land, and they are usually interested in learning more about what TNC is doing. I also enjoy telling them about MCC, as most people don't know about it.

What does the future have in store?

I don't have a single path in mind. I have a college degree, a set of skills and a work ethic, so I'll see where that takes me. My goal is to stay in Montana. I've never lived anywhere else and I don't think that I need to.

The Nature Conservancy is grateful to Tayler for all her hard work and to the Montana Conservation Corps and the University of Montana for making this internship possible. As always, we encourage everyone to reach out to us to share ideas and alert us of any problems. Please contact Steve Kloetzel, Western Montana Land Steward (skloetzel@tnc.org, 406-214-2036) or Chris Bryant, Western Montana Land Protection Director (cbryant@tnc.org, 406-532-4477) with any comments or questions.