New Voices in Conservation

I grew up in rural northern Idaho during the timber wars of the ’90s.  My father is a career forester for the U.S. Forest Service and my mother spent time as a market gardener, so I grew up helping in the garden, getting firewood every fall and going for hikes and drives on bumpy Forest Service roads on the weekends.

I am proud to be from rural America and working on behalf of communities like my own.  I am an aspiring urban homesteader, bike collector, crafter and community do gooder.

More than a 9 to 5:

I am currently Program Associate at a small national foundation where I manage and implement grant programs focused on finding collaborative solutions to natural resource issues and facilitate learning and networking opportunities for grantees.  I am also responsible for the foundation’s emergence into the world of social media and look forward to building its web presence during my allotted 4 hours/week.

To fulfill my desire to do good, I am engaged in the local food movement and serve as co-chair of the board of a small start-up food cooperative that seeks to provide affordable, healthy food to the Missoula community while providing markets for locally grown or produced goods and model socially and environmentally responsible business practices through the member-owner model.

This Blog:

I write about working and building a career in the conservation field from a rural perspective. With a degree in Rural & Environmental Sociology, I am dedicated to improving the livelihoods of rural residents.  My passion is focused on building resilient communities, sustainable businesses and jobs, while enhancing ecosystems and the services they provide.

Whew! Well enough about me, tell me about you!  Leave a comment and share your vision or connect with me on twitter (@chelseapennick) or LinkedIn.