Field Program

The day after coming home from our fifth hitch as a crew, my body and mind are decidedly exhausted, but my heart is full. I feel so lucky to be learning so much in so little time, working with amazing people (my co-lead, crew members, MCC staff, and project partners!), and witnessing and being a steward of some of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Our crew has had the privilege of working on such a wide array of projects including historic preservation at The Raven, trail maintenance in Flathead National Forest, and habitat restoration in the Idaho Panhandle. This hitch in Glacier National Park was a continuation of that variety.

We spent eight days on the east side of the park working for the Integrated Pest Management team to repair barbed wire fencing along the boundary between the park and the Blackfeet Reservation. The primary purpose of the fence is to keep grazing cattle and horses from wandering into the park. Working with the IPM team for the first few days before striking out on our own was so fun and interesting! They're the only team that works throughout the whole park, so they had a lot of knowledge to impart. We also had the pleasure of having Gavin, our Regional Director, join us in the field on day one.

We learned how to repair broken lines of barbed wire, remove rotted and damaged H-braces, and construct new ones (see photo), and use fencing pliers to their full capacity. In addition to the challenging work, we were also working on some pretty tough inclines, with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain in one mile near Cut Bank Creek. It was amazing to see our crew members persevere and gain so much confidence and satisfaction from their hard work. We all have such different backgrounds, levels of experience, and perspectives; yet we all get so much out of the work and have such a nice time working together. While the time off hitch is crucial and I relish the time to recharge, I'm so looking forward to the remainder of the season and seeing what Field Crew 2 will accomplish.