Meet the 2023 Field Crew
Written by Katie Siesel, Outreach Assistant, Working Lands Conservation
This spring in Northern Utah has been eventful- our record snowpack has progressively melted into spring runoff, resulting in high water and flooding. With many of our stream-side study sites underwater, riparian sampling is on hold until late June. In the meantime, we are still hard at work! We talked to students at Rich High School about the Three Creeks project, relationships between grazing and rangeland health, and career opportunities in natural resources. For the first time in a while, waders were necessary on our first water sampling trip of the summer. We also have four new faces on the WLC team! Our summer crews are busy processing soil samples from New Mexico and setting up monitoring infrastructure on our upland sites.
Two of our exclusion cages on Big Creek were perched on the banks last year… now they are in the channel!
We are thrilled to have these four field techs joining our soil and vegetation projects. Summer crews are incredibly vital to the success of our projects- gathering accurate data is the bottom-up control that influences the analysis, interpretation, and implementation of our findings. They are also fantastic company during long days out on the range. Come say hello if you see us out and about this summer!
Taylor Jacobson
Taylor is a seasoned veteran at WLC and is returning for her second field season- we are so excited to have her back! As a Randolph native, she intimately knows and appreciates the landscapes we work on. Even in a brief conversation with Taylor, her love for the community and public lands of Randolph is apparent. She is currently attending Utah State University studying Rangeland Ecology and Management and Wildlife Ecology and Management.
Anthony Villalobos
Anthony has a kind, welcoming personality that has integrated into our team dynamic seamlessly. Growing up in the forested playground of the Wasatch Front fostered a deep passion for the outdoors; you can find Anthony out and about on Utah’s public lands birding and identifying plants. He is currently attending Utah State University pursuing a degree in Conservation and Restoration Ecology.
Paige Lewis
When first meeting Paige, you will be greeted with the biggest smile and lively conversation. This Colorado Native attended Colorado State University, graduating with a BS in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability and a minor in Construction Management. She was introduced to rangelands while working in sagebrush steppe and shortgrass prairie ecotypes in Wyoming. Since then, she found a particular affinity for soils working as a soils lab technician at CSU. As our own soil program continues to expand, we are very excited to have Paige on our team as the Soils Crew Lead!
Katie Siesel
After graduating from Utah State University in the spring, I was hired as an Outreach Assistant to collaborate with different partners to spread the word about the benefits of working lands. During this field season, I will split my time working with the vegetation crew on Three Creeks and developing WLC’s outreach program. I’m excited to meet folks in the Randolph community and immerse myself in place-based work.