Volunteer Highlight: Taylor Stockert
Starting Over
Before Taylor Stockert started his green career, he had pursued a career in teaching. His childhood dream had come true as he stepped into a classroom for the first time. However, it took little time for him to regret this decision.
“I realized that this was just not the right path for me,” Taylor says. He knew what he didn’t want to do for a living, but not what he did want to do.
Trial and Error
He started volunteering wherever he found appealing opportunities, inspired by his own personal interests. This included a stint at the Minnesota Historical Society because he loved history, and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (MVNWR) because he loved engaging with the outdoors. The projects at MVNWR were enjoyable, but not exactly what Taylor was hoping for. He enjoyed the nature of the work.
A Good Piece of Advice
“I asked one of the wildlife biologists [at MVNWR] if they knew of any other volunteer opportunities, and they recommended Great River Greening,” Taylor says. After researching the mission and events, it clicked for him. “It was like a light, like a North Star.” When he first signed up, he felt like, for the first time in a long time, he was headed in the right direction.
Everything Changed
In 2017, Taylor started volunteering with Great River Greening. It took an afternoon to undergo free volunteer supervisor training and the support of Great River Greening field staff to get him ready to work.
He enjoyed interacting with volunteer groups and learning how to interact with people in a public restoration event setting. “I got to practice doing that, and I learned valuable information,” he says.
2017 planting event in Wayzata
From Great River Greening Operations staff, Taylor learned how to describe sites and absorb the details of each site. “[For each site] I understood why we were there and what sort of change we're looking to affect on a given site,” he says.
He became adept at catering to diverse groups of audiences. Also, his appreciation grew for the work that can and needs to be done in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
“At first, I wanted a career in natural resources or conservation that involved living in the middle of nowhere. But then I realized there's so much work being done [in the Twin Cities metro].” Taylor knew he wanted to work where the biggest problems existed.
Taylor gives credit to his volunteer supervisor position for jumpstarting his career. “My Great River Greening experience was directly responsible for me getting my first internship, which turned out to be one of the best jobs I've ever gotten.” He continues: “It was so fortuitous. I really lucked out with it.”
What Life Looks Like Now
Tree seedling from Crosby Farm (St. Paul), 2018.
Currently, Taylor works full time with the City of Stillwater as a natural resources technician. “[Volunteering] was a big part of why I have my permanent job now. It’s a direct connection to where I am now, and I’m deliriously happy where I am.”
Daily experiences regularly remind him of what he learned as a volunteer.
“Recently, I got a call from someone who had a thick patch of woods. They didn’t know what to do with it. I went out to meet a group of 8-10 people. We walked through the woods together. I explained to them what I saw, what they should do, step by step.” Some of what he saw included familiar sights like buckthorn and honeysuckle, calling on him to flex his invasive management muscle.
Guiding and educating the Stillwater community gives Taylor a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment, a sense that began as just a seed four years ago. “There’s a sense of community behind Great River Greening that I found really charming and enlightening. It’s a really great organization of people who do good things.”
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