ĢӰ Law Wyss Scholar Piper Lacy Attends Annual Summer Retreat
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in the woods outside of Missoula, Montana with an incredible group of law and graduate students for the 2026 Wyss Scholars retreat. The group consisted of fifteen students from all over the country who share a common passion for land conservation. We were hosted by the amazing University of Montana cohort at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest, located about a half-hour drive east of Missoula.
I arrived in Missoula Thursday morning and was met by smoky skies from the devastating fires in Washington and Oregon. Lila, a recent graduate of the University of Montana and a 2025–26 Wyss Scholar picked me up at the airport along with Josh, a law student at the University of Michigan. From there, we met up with the rest of the group at the University of Montana campus, where we heard from three speakers from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). Rich Janssen has been the director of the CSKT Department of Natural Resources for sixteen years, Dana Hewankorn is the CSKT Food Sovereignty Pilot Project Program manager, and Kathryn McDonald is a CSKT Tribal Relations Specialist who works between the tribal government and federal agencies on preservation and restoration projects.
Listening to these speakers share their experience and knowledge about conservation and community-building was truly a privilege. I especially connected with Dana Hewankorn’s food sovereignty work because of my interest in sustainable agriculture and food justice. I was struck by her response to the first question that was posed to the speakers: “What is your role in land conservation?” Initially, Hewankorn laughed and said, “I’m not sure. I just have a really big garden.” The other two speakers looked at her with conviction and agreed: “Of course you play a role in land conservation.” From there the conversation moved to a discussion of how preserving traditional food sources of the CSKT, like camas root, has furthered conservation initiatives in western Montana. The speakers discussed the importance of tribal members maintaining a relationship with the land, and that foraging, hunting, and cultivating food has been central to this relationship throughout CSKT history. Further, reservations across the United States are often located in “food deserts,” with limited access to fresh, healthy food. By cultivating food within the reservation and holding classes on gardening, canning, hunting, and foraging, the Food Sovereignty Pilot Project Program is supporting the nutritional needs of the community and ensuring that CSKT traditions continue on to the next generation.
After the speaker session, we departed Missoula for Lubrecht. We were the only group staying in the lodge, which was nestled among towering ponderosa pines. I spent a year living in Montana before starting law school, so it felt good to be back. For dinner, we made burritos in the lodge kitchen and sat outside on the deck talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. Much to my surprise (and delight), Jackson, a grad student at the Yale School of Forestry, brought a couple lariats and a steer roping dummy (see photos). Against all odds, four of us (Jackson, Lila, Caitlyn, and me) knew how to rope! So we spent the evening roping the “steer” and teaching the other scholars the proper technique. This experience was a testament to the fact that people are complex and often don’t fit into easily defined boxes, and that you never know what you might have in common with a relative stranger.
On Friday, after eating a delicious homemade pancake breakfast, we drove to Primm Meadow, one of the largest old growth ponderosa forests in Montana, to meet with Chris Bryant, the Montana Conservation Director at the Nature Conservancy (TNC). Bryant spoke with us about the history of Primm Meadow and the work TNC has done to conserve it. Unlike many forests that are dense with smaller trees, Primm Meadow is an example of what a forest that has been properly managed looks like. Through controlled burning and intentional thinning, Primm Meadow is a true ponderosa savannah. Bryant explained that TNC opens the area to local indigenous people to continue their traditional uses of the land. He also discussed the relationship between TNC and the BLM, and how they have collaborated over the years to further conservation efforts across Montana. We had the opportunity to explore the forest and observed “windows” carved into ponderosas by tribal members long before TNC purchased the land.
Saturday morning we ate another delicious home-cooked breakfast before heading to the Garnet Ghost Town, a preserved mining town erected in 1897. Walking around the abandoned buildings felt like stepping back in time. It was cool to imagine what life must have been like for the people who lived in this community. It was also a reminder of how mining played such an enormous role in shaping the history of the west.
After leaving Garnet, we drove back to Missoula to pick up tubes for our float down the Clark Fork River. We floated for about three hours on a gentle current, with a few small rapids sprinkled in to keep things interesting. A few members of the group, especially Taylor and Franny, were avid birders and called out whenever they saw a new species. After our float, we ate a delicious dinner in Missoula before heading back to Lubrecht for our last night.
Heading to the airport on Sunday, I felt a bit sad to be leaving Montana and my new friends. We had clicked so well as a group and it felt like I had known them for longer than just a few days. A few weeks later, I am still so grateful for the laughs, deep conversations, and connections I made on this retreat. I send so much gratitude to the incredible University of Missoula cohort who worked hard to make this weekend so fun and meaningful. I am also deeply appreciative of for creating the opportunity for us to come together. Being around a group of my peers who are smart, motivated, and passionate about land conservation was like taking a breath of fresh air (despite the fact that the air was in fact quite smoky). This retreat filled me with inspiration and hope for the future and a new network of friends and professional connections.
