Working at Prickly Pear Land Trust has given me the chance to teach students to discover the outdoors in new ways, from finding macroinvertebrates in the creek and identifying a native wildflower to making connections between a healthy watershed and the surrounding community. Those small moments of curiosity are rewarding to see.
Growing up in Wisconsin, I didn’t have environmental education as part of my school experience. We learned about ecosystems and food webs in the classroom, but we rarely went outside to see those concepts in action. Since joining Prickly Pear Land Trust, Montana Conservation Corps, and Big Sky Watershed Corps this January, I’ve been amazed by the opportunities students in Montana have to learn in the very landscapes they call home.
As the education program assistant, I’ve helped expand PPLT’s outreach program and connect more students with our parks and open spaces. This spring, East Helena High School biology classes explored The Grove and Prickly Pear Park, where they learned about watershed health, water quality, macroinvertebrates, and the restoration of former ASARCO lands. Environmental Science students identified plants and wildlife at Sevenmile Creek to assess the progress of the restoration.
At Tenmile Creek, students learned about conservation easements while planting pollinator-friendly species that will have a lasting impact on the landscape. Watching students grow their understanding through these direct experiences has been really rewarding.
It’s so different to read about stream health than it is to pull on waders, step into the water, and collect the samples yourself. Outdoor classrooms provide more opportunities for students to be curious enough to ask questions, explore more freely, and build confidence to spend more time outside. Today’s students will become the next stewards of the land, and that’s an investment that will benefit Montana’s landscapes for generations to come.
Konner Goetsch is the education program assistant for PPLT.
