This summer senior Isabella Vendramin lived in Big Sky, Montana working for the Gallatin River Task Force. During her workdays, she balanced water quality monitoring with legislation advocacy. The GRTF is a major proponent of the Montana Headwaters Security Act and Trout Friendly Landscaping program, legislation that would ensure the highest form of environmental security of public lands and water. She secured citizen and business endorsements for the Act, encouraging community members to call their local representatives to demand the Act’s passage. Vendramin praises the GRTF’s commitment to community-based conservation work as she believes public involvement in conservation is critical to long term protections being effective. While many people might be wary of spending a summer by themselves in Montana, Vendramin said she was never bored.

“Big Sky is a beautiful place to live. When I wasn’t at work, I went to weekly concerts with everyone in the community and enjoyed the land. Montana might not be a place many people would consider living, but I loved it and highly recommend taking a visit.”