A Summer Spent Cultivating Community
Summer 2025 with Communications & Outreach Intern, Olivia Chase
We invite you to dive into a summer with Sageland Collaborative through the perspective of our seasonal employees: a summer of cultivating community, getting outdoors, connecting with volunteers and partners, and sharing the joys of conservation.
This is what the summer of 2025 looked like for our Communications & Outreach intern, Olivia. At the beginning of her internship, we equipped her with a waterproof film camera and instructions to “capture your summer experience.”
Meet Olivia Chase and get a glimpse into what summer as a Sageland Collaborative intern can look like through her photo blog and interview below.
What has been your main takeaway from your time interning with Sageland Collaborative?
My biggest takeaway from this experience is that so much more can be accomplished together than alone. I have felt so lucky to be exposed to such a diverse set of projects and networks of people. No day of this internship was ever the same. I have learned so much about the ecology of Utah, a variety of conservation issues within the state, and the many people working to make things better.
I was stunned to discover how rooted in the community Sageland is, from neighborhood to nationwide partnerships. I am inspired by the model Sageland Collaborative offers. I think it reflects the reciprocal, interconnected nature of the lands our organization works to conserve.
What role do you see communications playing in conservation?
Since I was young, I have understood that the communication of any issue was one of the most crucial ways to make change. Most people today have been removed from the natural world, and I believe the problems it faces are a result of that severance. Getting people outside is harder than ever, but human curiosity and love remains easy to reach. Public support is foundational to conservation, and providing every day people a place to start their relationship with nature is where it all begins, whether it be a beautiful photo, an informational social media post, or a heartfelt blog.
I was first drawn to Sageland Collaborative by a stunning blog post, so I am honored to have been given an opportunity to share my experience and love for nature the same way. The landscape and its many inhabitants don’t always speak the way we do. I feel that giving it a voice is one of my greatest passions and responsibilities.
We all live in this world together, and everyone deserves to know its beauty, what is at risk, and what they can do to help.
This work is made possible through generous contributions of our volunteers and donors.
Will you make a gift today to sustain the future of wildlife and land conservation in the West?
How has your understanding of "conservation" changed since you started this internship?
My understanding of conservation was limited to the origins of the movement, to figures like John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt. I have come to learn in recent years that although the conservation movement has been incredibly important to the protection of natural landscapes, it has also upheld and perpetrated harm and violence to marginalized groups of people, and reinforced the idea that humans and nature are completely separate. As a Native person, I have witnessed the harm conservation work has the capacity to cause. But Sageland Collaborative has offered a different path, one that works to include many voices. I am proud of how willing Sageland is to consider the perspectives of its many partners, find the commonalities between them, and make measurable change for the species we hope to conserve.
Any memorable experiences that you'd like to share from your internship?
Given the variety of our projects, there were so many moments I feel like I’ll never forget. The most striking to me were definitely our Rapid Stream-Riparian Assessments (RSRAs). I think every one expanded my understanding of the land I grew up in, which was very special to me. I saw breathtaking things at every site. Butterflies, beavers, flowers and birds. I also took many spills. From sinking into mud deposits, falling into streams, and being stung by many wasps, I was definitely pushed, but I couldn’t help but laugh through it all. I felt like a kid again. I think experiences like that become fewer and further between as you get older. So to get that kind of experience was a gift.
I was also very grateful for the opportunity to volunteer at Wuda Ogwa, where the largest massacre in the United States took place against the Northwest Band of Shoshone. Growing up on ancestral lands that are not my own, I have always wanted to contribute anything I could to local tribes’ projects. Adding to the restoration work of a site charged with so much history and lingering pain was emotionally heavy, yet I know it is a privilege to take in. I try to savor the feeling when it washes over me, because it has always reminded me that despite it all, we are still here. We are the living dreams of our ancestors, and every waking moment is a gift given to us by their tenacity for life. I treasure every opportunity to recall that.
What's next for you? Next steps, big dreams?
I will be returning to California for the last year of my undergraduate degree in Environmental Science & Ecological Restoration. I’m excited to continue learning about cultural burning from my tribal community, developing my advocacy skills, and submitting more science communication pieces to publications.
I hope to pursue a graduate degree in Ecology or Environmental Studies at the University of California, although I’m not set on which campus. I am not quite sure where I’ll end up, I feel drawn to many areas. I’m interested in producing research that supports the role of Indigenous stewardship, doing more hands-on restoration work, and connecting with communities through writing, outreach, or education. I’d like to believe I’ll do all of these things, and so far I have no reason to believe I can’t.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I’m so grateful to each person at Sageland Collaborative. They all taught me something, and I feel so lucky to have been chosen for this internship. Not only is everyone on this team so good at what they do, but they are kind, supportive individuals that were eager to give me the best experience they could. I have felt so cared for, and I’m deeply inspired by this team to think creatively and work with others to find solutions. I am comforted to know that there are people like the Sageland team out there doing this important work for our lands and communities.
We are proud to foster the next generation of natural resources professionals —
from the sciences to communications, it takes all of us to make an impact for the wildlife and lands we love.
Fill out the interest form on our Career Opportunities page to stay up-to-date on opportunities to join the Sageland Collaborative team.
Article by Sierra Hastings
Photos by Olivia Chase
Be sure to read Olivia’s blog, Resiliency through Disturbance, to see more of what she worked on during her time on the Sageland Collaborative team!