Russell Torgersen (MS ’27, PWS) was collecting his last measurements of the day when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a mountain lion. He was at a remote site on the northwestern Nevada steppe checking the progress of recent restoration efforts when the lion “popped out of a bush and ran away.” Startled, Torgersen stopped what he was doing and focused on the majestic creature.
This encounter filled Torgesen with excitement. Thanks to another student’s restoration efforts, wildlife was returning to the region. He’d seen bears, wild horses, mountain lions, and frogs in the area, along with other changes like wildflowers growing along the streams. A decade ago, a past student had restored many of the springs in the area that had been diverted for cattle troughs by uncapping the springs and allowing them to flow naturally. Now, for his thesis, Torgersen is following up on this student’s work by measuring the environmental impact of his restoration.
To do this, he studies abiotic features in the area, like the streams and surrounding soil, and biotic features, like the plants that grow near the springs. By comparing past, present, and future data, he hopes to understand the response an ecosystem has to the restoration of altered hydrologic sites.
By studying how small changes in an environment can impact an ecosystem, Torgersen has learned a lot about how to be a better steward of the earth, and he enjoys sharing the knowledge he’s gained with others.
“I think it ties straight into the first and second greatest commandments,” Torgersen explains. “‘Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart’ and ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself,’ because we can’t survive without any of our natural resources, and future generations won’t be able to survive without them.”
As Torgersen continues his work in the steppe, he hopes to decipher the complex story of ecological rehabilitation. While some springs have responded well to the restoration, others show more modest signs of change. Still, the presence of wildlife and the return of native plants offer hope. Understanding what factors lead to successful restorations will help make future restoration projects more impactful. For Torgersen, each measurement and encounter teaches him how to be a better steward of God’s creations.