While there are many in our midst with long resumes in conservation there are no doubt quite a few of you who, like me, are just delving into conservation with TU, thinking about how to get involved, or just thinking more deeply recently about it. As the conservation chair for a conservation focused organization, I find myself in an interesting position, considering I don’t have one of these long resumes. However, many scientists (myself among them) prefer to start with “I don’t know” which aids in eliminating ego, bias, and expectations as we study things, particularly as it pertains to an unexplored area. Recently, in this frame of mind, while listening to presentations from experienced conservationists, I started asking myself “what is conservation?”

If not for another, more infamous respiratory intrusion, 2020 in the Front Range would be remembered as the year of fire. Three major fires burned our eyes, lungs, and favorite forests. Stretches of the St. Vrain, Colorado, Cache la Poudre, and Big Thompson River (amongst others) were ravaged.