Interview with Maria Vignati, Forest Service Hyalite Steward

Since 2018, the Forest Service has employed a seasonal employee who is specifically tasked with working in Hyalite to care for the Canyon. And, since 2018, Maria Vignati has been the person lucky enough to call Hyalite their “office”. As the Hyalite Steward, Maria spends her days taking care of Hyalite. We caught up with her at our most recent summer stewardship event to ask her a few questions about what it means to be the Hyalite Steward!

Can you describe a typical day in the life of the Hyalite Steward?

(MV) A typical day in Hyalite can be hard to describe, because there's just so much to it. We do a bit of everything, from picking up trash and cleaning fire rings, to educating the public on recreating responsibly and storing food properly, to putting up signs and monitoring campsites. It really is a team effort involving the whole Bozeman District recreation team, including myself, my Montana Conservation Corps Intern - Jennifer Riddle, and our Hyalite volunteers- Bob and Christi Claypool and Pat and Marie Dardis. Together, with support of the community, we tackle new challenges daily to keep Hyalite clean and safe.

Other than yourself, how many Forest Service employees are tasked with working in Hyalite on a regular basis?

(MV) I am the only employee tasked with working in Hyalite on a regular schedule, but other Forest Service recreation team members are around pretty often as well, working on the trails, cabins, and motorized access. We also have several fantastic volunteers that live and work in Hyalite too, as I mentioned previously.

What’s one of the most interesting things you’ve seen while working in Hyalite?

(MV) Hyalite is full of crazy things, but my personal favorite happened while the road was closed this year. There was a man unicycling on it! I can't even imagine the strength and stamina to get a unicycle up and down that road!

What’s your favorite part about working in Hyalite?

(MV) I really love seeing all the children out recreating and learning about the outdoors in Hyalite. Having easy, accessible recreation near town makes it much easier for families to get out and enjoy nature. It reminds me that we need to take care of our forests, so that the future generation can have the same access and opportunities that we do.

What can people do to take care of Hyalite when they visit?

(MV) There are two ways that people can help take care of Hyalite. One is to practice Leave No Trace principles, which are plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire), Respect wildlife, and be considerate of other visitors.

The second is to just keep spreading the love for Hyalite. Organizations like Friends of Hyalite are super important to conserving the forest for future generations. Without all of the love and support that the community puts into it, Hyalite wouldn't be the amazing canyon that we all love.

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As you can see, Maria’s work is critical to keeping Hyalite a nice place to visit and play. Friends of Hyalite helps to fund the Hyalite Steward position, and your donations are essential to our being able to do that. Please consider making a donation to support the Hyalite Steward today!!!

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