Highlander 2026
Letter from the Editor
I vividly remember working my first job — cleaning bathrooms at an RV park — when a woman told me, “We didn’t inherit the land from our fathers; we are borrowing it from our children.” That phrase has stayed with me ever since.
I am in awe of the stewardship that is highlighted in this edition of The Highlander. At a time when it feels like there is constant bad news about our landscapes, the individuals, communities and practices discussed in this magazine remind me that there are real people out there working to make a difference. That’s incredibly important.
I would hope that as you look through this magazine, you would stop and consider your own relationship with the land around you and think about how your practices are affecting it. At the end of the day, we can all be one of the people striving to make a difference.
— Hazel Harris-Staples
Soil Club digs deep, sets sights on national stage
USU’s Natural Resources Camp helps students break barriers and sharpen skills
New nature parks offer gateway to outdoor learning for students and community
Reimagining agriculture: Indigenous practices ad permaculture in Cache Valley
From the Great Barrier Reef to Great Salt Lake: Inside USU’s marine ecology program