Russell Conti

Hello relatives, I am an Ecology Masters Student at Montana State University, studying how increased urban development in a historically pristine mountain environment has altered the nutrient dynamics of a stream and its aquatic food web through time and space. I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Black Hills are considered some of the most culturally and spiritually significant lands to the Oglala Lakota Sioux people, whose blood I share. I was privileged to be raised in my traditional homeland surrounded by relatives from past to present, which helped to instill in me the lessons of being a good steward and relative to the earth. As an ICP fellow, I look forward to growing my ability to tell stories with my peers in this program. Through this experience, I hope to effectively tell the story of the watershed I am studying.