Owen Grey has worked at Wildlands Trust for nearly half of his life. Beginning as a volunteer at 14 years old, and then progressing to a seasonal staff member the following year, Owen recalls a time or two in his early years when getting him to work on a hot summer morning may have required a bit of prodding. But, you’d never know it now, as he’s among the first to arrive for the day, and always with a smile! For him, working with volunteer groups and providing a service that benefits the public are among the most rewarding aspects of his job. Owen believes that Wildlands’ most important function is conserving valuable land, but also considers the effort to ensure public accessibility to that land to be of equal importance. In a cross-country tour of National Parks that sparked in him a love of travel, Owen temporarily traded his stewardship hat for a visitor’s badge. Through this experience, he recognized the value of equitable access for all who venture to spend time in awe-inspiring natural spaces. When asked to describe an ideal day of work, Owen joked that it would “somehow combine really hardcore tree work with having volunteers around…which may not be very safe.” In a clarifying follow-up response, though, he described a day filled with trail improvements, leading people through preserves to discover new places, and great moods all around.
Owen attended St. Lawrence University, and his early career experience has prepared him well for the position of Stewardship Operations Manager at Wildlands Trust. Having gained valuable job skills through volunteer work and summer stewardship, Owen was more than ready for the task when he decided to sign on full-time with Wildlands in 2019. When he’s not wielding power tools on the trails, Owen also enjoys football, golf, and a lot of hiking. Although his outdoor recreation may now be more likely to take place in the woods than a stadium, and he’s more often a spectator than a player at the games these days, he also enjoyed a successful gridiron career of his own throughout his school years.
