Each month, we’re highlighting the people and organizations who make the Gallatin Forest Partnership tick. This month, the spotlight’s on GFP member Hilary Eisen.
Hey Hilary, can you tell us a little about yourself?
My mom says the reason I love winter so much is because I was born during one of the coldest, snowiest Montana winters she’s ever experienced.
So you grew up in Montana?
I grew up in Billings, left the state for school in New England, and moved back to Montana after college because I missed open space, sagebrush, and wilderness. After circling around the Greater Yellowstone region for several years, I settled in Bozeman in 2013.
It’s an easy place to fall in love with, that’s for sure. What do you do for work?
I’m the policy director at Winter Wildlands Alliance, a national conservation organization that works to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.
Sounds awesome! What do you do for fun?
In the winter you can find me on skis or ice climbing, usually in Hyalite. In the summer I love rock climbing, hiking, camping, backpacking, and canoe trips. I also really enjoy baking, so my adventures are always fueled by cookies!
What are you most passionate about?
I’m passionate about planning! I’m one of those people who likes to have a plan, and I bring this to conservation work as well. I strongly believe that if we want to protect a place, a species, or an experience, it’s important to have a vision for what the future should be and a plan for how to get there.
What brought you to the Gallatin Forest Partnership?
When I moved to Bozeman I was vaguely aware of longstanding efforts to find common ground in the Gallatin Range, and curious whether it was possible. This curiosity, paired with my love of the landscape, led me to be part of the GFP from day one.
Why is the GFP important to you?
It’s proactive and it’s holistic. We can’t achieve conservation in a bubble and I think it’s important that the GFP proposal takes into account the inevitable increase in humans recreating in the Gallatin and Madison Ranges as our communities grow. Figuring out how to keep wild places wild, giving wildlife space away from humans in the face of population growth, and also considering where it’s appropriate for human activity to increase are all part of the GFP conservation vision.
What is your favorite part of the our local landscape?
Hands down, Hyalite Canyon. I love how no matter what time of year I go to Hyalite it’s full of people doing every imaginable outside activity and having a great time. And, even though it is so popular and close to Bozeman it’s still super easy to find adventure, solitude, and wildlife sign if you just venture off the beaten path a little bit. It’s an amazingly wild place, right in our backyard. And the view from the reservoir looking up towards the mountains never gets old! Honestly, Hyalite is a big reason I live in Bozeman.
Want to learn more about how the Gallatin Forest Partnership proposal will protect the wildness, wildlife, recreation, and clean water that make our corner of Montana so special? You can explore the full proposal here and show your support by endorsing it here.