Our new Stewardship and Outreach Director can't wait to see the blooms!

Trevor Irish
14 minutes ago
2 min read

Bear River Land Conservancy is thrilled to announce that we have hired Jaimi Butler as our Stewardship and Outreach Director. She is very excited to get involved with our work, and we will let her tell you all about it!

I just met my first Utah orchid! I did not know I wanted to meet a Utah orchid. I have always been more attracted to things that move and crawl on me. Things that I could use to scare my uncles and which my kid now uses to impress and horrify her friends. After graduating with a wildlife degree from USU I felt lucky to get my first job chasing bugs and birds around at Great Salt Lake. I loved it so much and I have not stopped learning from the lake through the eyes of 6th graders, artists, scientists, conservation groups, government and industry. For over 20 years, I have been a witness to our salty lake during a pivotal time of change.

I have spent the last few years becoming immersed in Cache valley and our community, in what I call my “semi-feral gap years.” I did not know being feral was a thing, but I highly recommend it as it helped me decide what I want to be when I grow up. Now, I am immersed in volunteer board work with Sageland Collaborative where we do science in service of wildlife and habitat. I represent conservation voices in support of wildlife with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. I milk goats and have experienced the importance of local food at Steep Mountain Farm in Wellsville. I also work at the Hobbled Dog Cidery in Logan making cider and working in their orchard in Paradise. One of my kids is in college at Utah State University and the other is navigating middle school here. I have spent my gap years becoming firmly planted in my local community.

Jaimi proudly standing on the peak of Great Salt Lake's Gunnison Island after installing wildlife cameras with many collaborators to document the natural history of breeding American White Pelicans.

I am proud and excited to be the new Stewardship and Outreach Director for the Bear River Land Conservancy! I have only worked here for one month and I often think about the orchid I recently met who is described as lurking under the ground until the time is just right to spring into action. It seems like a good strategy to mimic. I will lurk about for the near future, learning about land trusts, meeting partners, learning to work in an office again, learning to work with the amazing team, and growing into the new role that I have been entrusted with.

I am so glad to be here working with you to deepen relationships and connect land stewards to partners. I look forward to working in the water and the dirt to actively improve our place in the world for both humans and non-humans. I am excited to see what blooms with the Bear River Land Conservancy!