Laura Caplins, Director
Laura is a co-founder of Nature-Link and has been acting as its director since 2005. Laura has been working with rural mountain communities both in the Himalaya of India and here in the Rocky Mountains of Montana on natural resource issues since this time. She is finishing up her doctoral degree in Forestry at the University of Montana, having earned a masters in Recreation Administration from Georgia Southern University and an undergraduate in Geography from Appalachian State University. When not working Laura enjoys spending time with her family (both the two and four legged kind) hiking, running, skiing and horseback riding.
Eric Legvold, Development and Marketing
Eric is the voice of Nature-Link. Eric is currently working on his Masters in Business Administration at the University of Montana after completing his BA in Recreation also from UM. When Eric is not working on Nature-Link or his classes he can be found serving the best cocktails in Missoula at Finn & Porter. Eric has been travelling to the Garhwal since 2008, but when hes not abroad he can be found hiking, running or snowboarding the mountains of Montana.
Board Members
Keith Bosak
Keith is an Associate Professor of Nature Based Tourism and Recreation in the College of Forestry and Conservation. He is also a co-founder of Nature-Link. Keiths research is broadly centered in human-environment interactions and the intersection of conservation and development. Within this, his focus is on ecotourism, community development and natural resource management, particularly in mountainous areas and developing countries. The pursuit of these investigations has taken Keith to a wide range of geographic locations where he has studied everything from the economic crisis in Argentina, Scientific Tourism in Patagonia, Women’s roles in ecotourism in India to population and development issues in Nepal. Since 2005 I have been conducting field courses with university students in the Indian Himalaya. In his free time, Keith enjoys being outdoors and moving through the landscape. with passions including trail running, rock and ice climbing, snowboarding and high altitude mountaineering.
Carl Sievers
Carl is the co-owner and operator of Yurt Ski a backcountry lodging and skiing yurt company. The yurts sit nestled high in the Southern Swan Mountains of Montana, in between the Mission Mountains and the Bob Marshall Wilderness.Carl grew up traveling a lot, paying his dues skiing on Midwestern ice hills. Since then he’s made skiing a way of life. With a degree in English and Sociology Education, he’s made winter a priority. In the off season he works in Missoula’s fine dining restaurant the Red Bird, rafting and waiting for the snow to start flying. He loves and respects the humble feeling he gets in the snow covered mountains and wants to be skiing until he’s old and gray.
Ted Morrison
Ted is currently working as a Registered Nurse at Saint Patrick’s Hospital. Ted also has over a decade of experience working in the backcountry, most recently as an instructor for Aerie Backcountry Medicine and an alpine mountaineering instructor for Outward Bound Wilderness among other. Ted has a both a BA and a MA in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. Ted has been a world traveler from birth and enjoys rock climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and exploring with his family.
Our Team
Staff
Laura is a co-founder of Nature-Link and has been acting as its director since 2005. Laura has been working with rural mountain communities both in the Himalaya of India and here in the Rocky Mountains of Montana on natural resource issues since this time. She is finishing up her doctoral degree in Forestry at the University of Montana, having earned a masters in Recreation Administration from Georgia Southern University and an undergraduate in Geography from Appalachian State University. When not working Laura enjoys spending time with her family (both the two and four legged kind) hiking, running, skiing and horseback riding.
Eric is the voice of Nature-Link. Eric is currently working on his Masters in Business Administration at the University of Montana after completing his BA in Recreation also from UM. When Eric is not working on Nature-Link or his classes he can be found serving the best cocktails in Missoula at Finn & Porter. Eric has been travelling to the Garhwal since 2008, but when hes not abroad he can be found hiking, running or snowboarding the mountains of Montana.
Board Members
Keith is an Associate Professor of Nature Based Tourism and Recreation in the College of Forestry and Conservation. He is also a co-founder of Nature-Link. Keiths research is broadly centered in human-environment interactions and the intersection of conservation and development. Within this, his focus is on ecotourism, community development and natural resource management, particularly in mountainous areas and developing countries. The pursuit of these investigations has taken Keith to a wide range of geographic locations where he has studied everything from the economic crisis in Argentina, Scientific Tourism in Patagonia, Women’s roles in ecotourism in India to population and development issues in Nepal. Since 2005 I have been conducting field courses with university students in the Indian Himalaya. In his free time, Keith enjoys being outdoors and moving through the landscape. with passions including trail running, rock and ice climbing, snowboarding and high altitude mountaineering.
Carl is the co-owner and operator of Yurt Ski a backcountry lodging and skiing yurt company. The yurts sit nestled high in the Southern Swan Mountains of Montana, in between the Mission Mountains and the Bob Marshall Wilderness.Carl grew up traveling a lot, paying his dues skiing on Midwestern ice hills. Since then he’s made skiing a way of life. With a degree in English and Sociology Education, he’s made winter a priority. In the off season he works in Missoula’s fine dining restaurant the Red Bird, rafting and waiting for the snow to start flying. He loves and respects the humble feeling he gets in the snow covered mountains and wants to be skiing until he’s old and gray.
Ted is currently working as a Registered Nurse at Saint Patrick’s Hospital. Ted also has over a decade of experience working in the backcountry, most recently as an instructor for Aerie Backcountry Medicine and an alpine mountaineering instructor for Outward Bound Wilderness among other. Ted has a both a BA and a MA in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. Ted has been a world traveler from birth and enjoys rock climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and exploring with his family.