Welcome to Gabrielle Tribelli! Our ESLT team is thrilled that Gabrielle has joined us as our 2020/2021 Education Coordinator & AmeriCorps Member.

Gabrielle comes to us through the Sierra Nevada Alliance’s Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership (SNAP)—a selective program that places young leaders with conservation agencies and organizations throughout the Sierra Nevada each year. SNAP members like Gabrielle have been working with ESLT ever since the SNAP program began in 2009. By focusing on education, volunteer support, and land restoration, our SNAP members play a critical role in connecting our community to the conservation work made possible thanks to supporters like you.

Gabrielle began an 11-month service term in mid-October, and will be with us through September 2021.

Gabrielle’s pronouns are she/her/hers. To help you get to know Gabrielle better, we asked her a few questions about her background and interests:

Tell me about your roots!

I come from Northern California, calling several places my home; spanning from the Santa Cruz coast and the Bay Area to the Foothills and the Lost Sierra. As a kid, my parents would take my brother and I camping throughout California. My roots are like Redwood tree roots; they are shallow, however, they span wide in the space they have and intermingle with other roots beneath the forest floor in the grove, creating diverse and vast communities. Growing up, my dream was to be what I thought a park ranger’s role was; taking folks on walks in the woods and teaching them about the magic and biodiversity around us. I have always been eager to absorb and learn as much as I can while in nature.

After getting my Bachelor’s Degree in Modern Literary Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, I realized that my love for education and teaching could converge with my pull to environmental conservation.

What brought you to the Eastern Sierra?

In the past couple of years, I have developed a strong connection to the Southern and Northern Sierra Nevada range, from backpacking Kings Canyon, the Tahoe Rim, and other pockets of the Tahoe National Forest. The Eastern Sierra is a part of the region that has been uncharted for me yet. In addition to working with the ESLT and Eastern Sierra community, I am eager to learn about the land and experience the biodiversity that makes it unique when compared to other regions in the Sierra Nevada.

What makes you most excited about living in the Eastern Sierra?

I’m especially excited to see the birds of the area, spot some Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep, and experience all seasons.

Where does your interest in conservation stem from?

My interest in conservation started at a young age from simply being in nature and building appreciation for its natural resources. As I matured, I began to see the importance of environmental awareness and the power of knowledge when facing natural and unnatural effects on Earth. In college, I became active in animal advocacy and interested in environmental intersectional issues within the animal agricultural industry and relating to climate change and social discrimination. More recently, I began working at a community-supported farm and became extremely interested in sustainable farming practices and the goals of food security, equality, and regenerative integrity. I believe that all of these experiences, and counting, have contributed to my intense care for the future of the Earth and the need to properly educate myself and younger generations about these forces.

What activities do you enjoy outside of work?

I love to backpack, run, forage, bird, make yummy food, and stay active by trying new outdoor adventure activities. Creating art is a big part of my life—I mostly paint and photograph, and have recently started my own business with my artwork!

Do you have a favorite nature-related book?

My favorite is Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (public library). It is absolutely incredible and is an extremely influential read for me whenever I pick it up.

If you see Gabrielle on the trails this year (or in your kids’ Zoom classroom!), please say hello and welcome her to the Eastside!