How Collaboration Can Make for a Wildlife-Friendlier Future with Kate Gersh, Ep.101

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This is another episode of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program series!

In a place where moose wander through neighborhoods and grizzlies sometimes cross backyard fences, living alongside wildlife takes creativity, cooperation, and care. The Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is proving that when communities come together, including volunteers, landowners, agencies, and visitors alike, they can create lasting solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.

In this episode, Associate Director Kate Gersh shares how this small but mighty organization helps the Greater Yellowstone community coexist with the wild neighbors that make Jackson Hole so special. From pulling down old barbed-wire fences to hand-removing invasive weeds and collecting valuable wildlife data, Kate’s volunteers are showing that conservation success depends on everyone’s participation- not just scientists or professionals.

Kate and I first met through the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program, where we worked together on a global bat conservation project. It’s been incredible to see how she continues to carry that same collaborative spirit into her work today.

Highlights

• How community volunteers have become the lifeblood of wildlife conservation in Jackson Hole.
• Why collaboration among ranchers, agencies, nonprofits, and residents leads to solutions that last.
• Why conservation needs communicators, fundraisers, and advocates just as much as biologists.

What YOU Can Do

Inspired by Kate’s work? Here are some simple ways to help make your own community more wildlife-friendly:

• Volunteer your time with local conservation projects or citizen science programs.
• Use bear-resistant trash cans and secure garbage to keep wildlife safe and wild.
• Plant native species to support pollinators and local ecosystems.
• Support local conservation groups- your voice, time, or donation matters.
• Advocate for smart land-use policies that protect wildlife movement and habitat.
• Talk about coexistence and help spread understanding of how people and wildlife can thrive together.

Resources

• Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation website
• Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program, that brought Kate and me together, is accepting applications for its next class of young wildlife professionals. Apply here and tell them I sent you!
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation Facebook 
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation Instagram
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation  YouTube

Want a free guide to help you become a force for nature? Get it HERE!

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Hit me up on Instagram and Facebook and let me know what actions you have been taking. Adopting just one habit can be a game-changer because imagine if a billion people also adopted that!

What difference for the world are you going to make today?