Love of nature takes root for Grinnell alumna
August 22, 2024 — “I love connections – the human connections we form when we find something in common, and the ecological interconnectedness we see in nature,” says Katie (Kleese) Bloome ’05, executive director of the Belwin Conservancy, which is located about 15 miles east of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Katie Bloome ’05
“This is what motivates me in my work – connection, spark, love of nature. And sparking this when kids are young is one of the best things we can do for our planet.”
Bloome grew up in Northfield, just south of the Twin Cities where she now lives. She has fond memories of playing in the woods near her house. “My outdoor play was unstructured,” Bloome recalls. “Now we have studies showing the benefit of this, which I try to instill in my own kids. When we go out in nature, it’s not just a means to an end, it’s an exploration. It only takes a question or two, and they are off on their journey of discovery.”
Encouraged by her high school biology teacher, Bloome pursued that major at Grinnell College, focusing specifically on ecology.
“Grinnell taught along the lines of scientific inquiry, which was exactly what I wanted,” she notes. She particularly appreciated the hands-on study at the Conard Environmental Research Area where she became fascinated by the prairie and savanna. That work, combined with a semester off-campus at Woods Hole Institute in Massachusetts, showed Bloome that data collection and other outdoor experiences interested her much more than indoor lab work.
After Grinnell, Bloome interned at an environmental learning center teaching children in classes ranging from bird and soil studies to cross-country skiing. She pursued a master’s certificate in environmental education from Hamline University, and now has nearly two decades of experience teaching outdoors and managing education programs as well as working on capital campaigns for the vocational training school Summit Academy OIC, Camp St. Croix, and Minnesota Public Radio.
Katie Bloome ’05 is pictured with her husband, Rigel, and their kids Will and Penelope on a camping trip at Northern Highlands American Legion State Forest.
Bloome has a theatre background as well and, as a Grinnell student, she mainly focused on stage management. While she’s not currently active in the theatre scene, like a true liberal arts student, she has employed these skills in other aspects of her life. “In so many ways, my whole job is stage management, so these skills have translated beautifully for me,” Bloome says.
The vision of Belwin Conservancy is to make the space more accessible to the whole community they serve, and fundraising is key to achieving this dream. With Bloome’s passion for nature and strengths in programming and fundraising, she is the perfect person to lead this charge. Hired in 2018, Bloome has helped the organization with its first capital campaign since their inception 54 years ago. To date, they have raised $7.9 million of a $10.2 million goal. Also, under Bloome’s guidance, Belwin has added 92 acres in landmass, increased their budget, and almost doubled the staff.
“One of the things I appreciate about Belwin is that it hasn’t just been about ‘grow, grow, grow,’ but more about experimenting with programs and then making a pivot to find the right fit,” Bloome says. Their signature programs attract more people each year, and include the Bison Release Festival, Music in the Trees, and the Winter Solstice Bonfire.
“At Belwin, the organic formation of partnerships is where the real change takes root,” Bloome explains. Some of these that have been particularly meaningful for her connect Belwin to the area’s Indigenous communities, specifically individuals who live in urban spaces that often create unique barriers to connecting with cultural identity. Through collaboration with these communities, Belwin is discovering new opportunities to support their reclamation of cultural practices.
Bloom and Jessica (Pierson) TeSlaa ’05 pose for a photo at Perrot State Park in Wisconsin.
One such project partners with the American Indian Family Center who were seeking land to use for a sweat lodge. After much conversation and planning, the lodge was installed at the conservancy and is now used by people of all ages for healing through group gatherings and ceremonies.
Bloome also highlights an ongoing partnership with Anishinabe Academy, an elementary school focused on Dakota and Ojibwe language and culture. The Academy needed a place to start a garden for traditional foods and medicines, and, once again, Belwin was a good fit.
“When they came out to look at different spots for the garden, everyone started dreaming of something much bigger,” Bloome recalls. “Now we are working toward an environmental education space not just for students at the school but the whole community. What’s fascinating about ideas is seeing them come to fruition once you put them out there. This is a unique project that fits with environmental and land restoration aspects. If we can have a deep impact by working together, that’s a win for everyone.”
Blome says the process has been a two-way learning model. “We know how to take care of the ecosystem, and we have people who want to connect to this land, so we are making it happen together,” she says.
So much has been accomplished already in Bloome’s short tenure at Belwin, and her enthusiasm for this work is palpable. Not surprisingly, this energy doesn’t stop when she leaves her workday. She’s also on the board for Conservation Minnesota and, more personally, she continues to camp and explore nature with loved ones.
“It’s devastating what we are doing to our world,” Bloome says. “I really believe that if we take care of the most vulnerable ecosystems, we are taking care of everyone.”
— by Melanie Drake ’92