Meet Madison

Spending the summer in Salmon, Idaho means hiking, rafting, biking and eating local foods for the entire season. It also means monitoring conservation easements with friendly ranch dogs, attempting adventurous stream crossings and reminding myself to look up to enjoy the incredible views. I’m Madison Harper and I’m interning for the Lemhi Regional Land Trust and Salmon Valley Stewardship this summer. I am fortunate enough to have received an internship through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife internship programs.

So, how did I find myself in this wonderful town working as an intern at the age of 24? Funny you should ask.

I graduated from The University of Montana two years ago with a Bachelor of Science in resource conservation and a minor in dance. After college, I found myself working at Absaroka Ranch, a rustic dude ranch, in Dubois, Wyoming for a few seasons. Then I moved back to Missoula last winter to attempt to be an “adult” in the real world. I ended up in a job that was monotonous and dim-witted for a year, but it paid my bills. So what did I do next? I floated The Grand Canyon for 23 days in September 2014.

After floating The Colorado, I was reenergized and ready to turn my life around. Once I got the confidence to move on from my dull job this past winter. I decided a trip back to my roots in Arkansas would inspire me to follow my dreams. After consuming, all the fried food in the South and getting endless hugs from my family I happily accepted the internship in Salmon and got back out West. It has been a windy, bumpy road out of college but who would want to take the smooth, straight, boring road? I am extremely happy to be interning with LRLT and SVS this summer because I am working with phenomenal people who love what they do.

I have to say, only working one month here I have all ready learned an incredible amount. I have the utmost respect for the women in both organizations. They are all fiercely independent, highly intelligent and overly adventurous. Both organizations work in different ways, but have incredible outcomes. I cannot wait to see what the next two months have in store. I’m sure it will include soggy boots, infectious giggles and endless summer days. To start July off, I get to enjoy a 5-day trip down the Main of The Salmon, which I couldn’t be more excited about! After that, I’ll get back to work. Happy 4^th of July!