As the pasqueflowers bloom on Mount Helena, keep an eye out for new faces and new places in the Prickly Pear Valley.
“Prickly Pear Land Trust started almost 30 years ago as a bootstrap organization where everyone wore multiple hats. We still have that all-hands-on-deck mindset, but we’ve matured with the community,” Associate Director Rachel Rountree says. “The demand for trails, parks, and open space continues to grow, so we’re adding the best and brightest to our team.”
Growth Came in the Form of Three Landmark Opportunities
- First, we’re opening a new park and building trails and connectivity in East Helena.
- Second, we have a new cooperative agreement with Fort Harrison, which supports private land protection from the Helena Valley to Townsend.
- Third, we’re collaborating with the Forest Service on the most extensive trail project in the history of the South Hills.
Prickly Pear Land Trust started building trails and protecting open space in Helena in 1995. Almost 30 years later, we’re working on parks, trails, conservation easements, and educational programs in a region about the same size as New Jersey. “We needed more boots on the ground, not just to accomplish the work but also to be ambassadors in the community,” says Executive Director Mary Hollow. “This work is only possible if everyone knows it and supports it to the extent they can.”
Our success on the ground has led to large-scale projects at a faster pace, as well as funding opportunities that make growth sustainable. New sources support four positions. We are grateful to AmeriCorps, the Forest Service, the M.J. Murdoch Charitable Trust, and other public and private partners for funding positions supporting public access, communications, and education.
Whether Lands Manager Natalie Yocum is teaching students about native plants, Trails Coordinator Collin Ahlemeier is showing volunteers how to retread a trail, or Content Creator Emily Winn is interviewing a veteran at Tenmile Creek Park, every Prickly Pear staff member is an ambassador for conservation.
“At the end of the day, we want to give as many people as possible access to nature and safe places to hike, bike, and wonder,” Rachel says. “And hopefully, we’ll inspire future conservation leaders along the way.”
