“Thank you to the landowners, partners, and community members who make our Northern Yellowstone Open Lands work possible—they are some of the finest folks I’ve had the pleasure to work with and share a deep passion about the future of Park County.”

As Northern Yellowstone Open Lands Program Manager, Cole has been working with Park County landowners since 2021 to understand the needs and identify solutions surrounding private land conservation in the region. Cole was raised in the Pacific Northwest, between the Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. He attended the University of Puget Sound, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Arts in environmental policy while working as a wildland firefighter for the Forest Service during his summers. His passion for connecting with people and place led him to an AmeriCorps position with the Teton Science Schools in Jackson, Wyoming, where he taught a little and learned a lot about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Cole calls Livingston, Montana, home and can often be found exploring the mountains and waterways of Southwest Montana. He is grateful to learn from those who have long called this region home and is eager to partner with those who are new to the area to build and sustain community that is rooted in an appreciation for the wild and working lands of Park County.