Alumni Profile: Ryan Hunter '98

Conservation Programs Manager
Flathead Land Trust
Major at Linfield: Sociology

What are you doing now?
I work as the Conservation Programs Manager for the Flathead Land Trust in northwest Montana near Glacier National Park. In this capacity I serve two roles. First, I work with private landowners to establish conservation easements on their land, which are voluntary legal agreements that permanently protect the land from future subdivision development. Often I work with farmers, forest land owners, and others with larger land holdings and the organization to date has protected over 10,000 acres of open space. Second, I monitor each of the existing conservation easements once a year to ensure that the terms of the conservation easements are being followed. The organization currently holds over 50 conservation easements. 

Tell us about yourself.
I am married to Linfield alumna Eve (Harley) Hunter '00, and we recently had our first child, Autumn. I love to hike, camp, kayak, ski and do just about any kind of non-motorized outdoor recreation. I love to read. I'm very involved and engaged in politics in every way possible, including as chair of the local chapter of Montana Conservation Voters. I've also recently begun volunteering with Glacier Climate Action, which is a local group working to fight climate change.

How did Linfield help prepare you for your career?
I was an environmental studies minor, which helped educate me as to the needs for greater conservation of our natural world. My sociology major taught me invaluable critical thinking skills that serve me well at work every day and in my life generally. I was also actively involved on campus with the environmental club among other campus organizations which helped empower me with the idea that individual and collective action can make a difference in the world.