The Outdoor Leadership Corps (OLC) program is a paid green education and workforce development initiative in partnership with Great Rivers Greenway (GRG). The crew includes four Restoration Assistants and one Assistant Crew Leader. Under the guidance of the Conservation Education Instructor, this crew works to maintain, restore, and beautify the landscapes along greenways throughout the greater St. Louis area. We have a great crew this season and wanted to share more about them with all of you!
Jared Lyeki

Share a little bit about your past experiences in OLC and why you decided to come back as the Assistant Crew Leader?
I joined Outdoor Leadership Corps for the Spring 2024 season because I was searching for a job that involved restoration and conservation field work along with community education and outreach. I really enjoyed my time as a Restoration Assistant and getting exposed to many topics that piqued my interest. I wanted to come back this season as the Assistant Crew Leader because I knew there would still be many opportunities for even more valuable experiences. I also really wanted to develop my leadership skills to be an effective and efficient leader.
What are you most excited about being the Assistant Crew Leader?
I am most excited about getting to share my knowledge and experiences with the OLC crew members. I am also looking forward to getting to know the crew and see what knowledge and experiences they have to share.
What are you most looking forward to this season?
This season, I am most looking forward to OLC having more involvement and control with certain work sites. For example, OLC has been given the opportunity to create a pollinator garden at North Riverfront Park, and we will be stewarding the garden from start to finish. I am excited to see our progress at this site and many others.
What inspired you to pursue a career in conservation, and was there a specific moment that solidified your passion in the field?
I have been interested in conservation since I was in college, but it wasn’t until I spent a year working as an Education Interpreter at the Saint Louis Zoo that I became very passionate. I got to talk to so many people about conservation, animals and plants, and became very hopeful that people do care. This also gave me the passion to get out in the field and do hands on conservation and restoration work.
What do you enjoy doing outside of OLC?
Outside of OLC, I enjoy disc golfing, playing soccer, and going to the movies.
Kylie Patrico

Why did you choose to be a part of the Outdoor Leadership Corps?
As someone who is deeply passionate about creating sustainable and biodiverse ecosystems, I knew this would be an incredible opportunity that I did not want to pass up.
What are you most looking forward to during this season?
I am looking forward to learning about the land along the greenways and the history the land holds along with invasive species removal, native plantings, and to just be around other plant nerds.
What inspired you to pursue a career in conservation/restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
During the pandemic, I was searching for a career where I felt I could make a difference in the world. I started landscaping in 2021 and completely fell in love with the work. This was the catalyst for me to attain a degree in horticulture and to expand my knowledge about the importance of creating sustainable landscapes. I love that with every native flower, tree, or shrub I plant, I am making a positive impact in our community.
What do you enjoy doing outside of OLC?
Outside of OLC I enjoy spending time with friends and family, hiking, swimming, ceramics or just hanging out with my sweet dog, Zoey.
Kinsey Bakameyer

Why did you choose to be a part of the Outdoor Leadership Corps?
I have always loved taking trips to the Missouri Botanical Garden and known of its excellent reputation. The Outdoor Leadership Corps seemed like a wonderful way to get experience in the field of conservation while also working with a team that I know cares about the environment as much as I do. I also knew it would be a great way to meet like-minded people with the same passions as me.
What are you most looking forward to during this season?
I’m really looking forward to learning more about the land I grew up on and how to properly care for it. I think that this is a great opportunity for me to acquire and improve upon many skills that are needed in this field. I also expect that I (along with the rest of the team) will feel very accomplished when I get to look back at all the projects we completed during the season and all the progress we made, which I am very much looking forward to.
What inspired you to pursue a career in conservation/restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
I think that my overall upbringing was what inspired me to pursue a career in conservation. My father works in the field, and I grew up in the woods and on a farm, which instilled a deep love of nature within me. I don’t believe there was a specific moment that solidified my passion, but there was more of a build-up. As I began getting older and learning about climate change, ecological damage, and struggling wildlife species, the feeling that I needed to be part of the change only grew stronger. Our Earth can’t speak for itself, but I’m glad to be part of the community that will speak for it.
What do you enjoy doing outside of OLC?
Even outside of OLC, I love to be out in nature. Hiking, kayaking, and playing with my pets make up most of my outdoor activities. I also enjoy painting, making various crafts, playing piano, reading, and playing games with family and friends.
Sam Bowers

Why did you choose to be a part of the Outdoor Leadership Corps?
Outdoor Leadership Corps aligned with my interests in restoration, and it is active work. On top of that, the work is varied, and encourages me to improve on skills I am wanting to strengthen.
What are you most looking forward to during this season?
Watching an area be transformed through our hard work. Hopefully, I can check on the areas we work on next season to see the full transformation!
What inspired you to pursue a career in conservation/restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
I started having an interest in restoration when I was very young, basically since I learned about how climate change worked from the internet.
What do you enjoy doing outside of OLC?
Woodworking in my garage. I'm restoring a dresser right now.
Grace Martinez

Why did you choose to be a part of the Outdoor Leadership Corps?
I chose to be a part of OLC because I wanted to gain hands on conservation experience, learn new things, and hang out with a fun crew of people. I also wanted to get a bigger picture idea of Missouri ecosystems and how that relates to cultural significance and current events in the greater St. Louis area.
What are you most looking forward to during this season?
I'm most looking forward to going to cool areas such as The Missouri Botanical Garden, Shaw Nature Reserve, and all the greenways, and meeting all the interesting people who help them run. I'm really just along for the ride!
What inspired you to pursue a career in conservation/restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
I've always loved being outside and I want to share that with others and make it more accessible. I remember learning about how the wolf population was restored in Yellowstone and how it entirely changed the ecosystem- that can happen anywhere, and any natural area is dynamic. I love to learn about that and be able to relate it to my own life: change is the only constant and to work in a field where you see that all the time is rewarding.
What do you enjoy doing outside of OLC?
Outside of OLC I am an artist and I enjoy creating any type of project that pops up in my mind. I dream to combine my love for creating and nature. I also enjoy weight lifting and riding my bike, exploring new places, and hanging out with people that I love.
This fall the OLC crew will have the exciting opportunity to branch out into the community by facilitating conservation volunteer days hosted by Great Rivers Greenway! These volunteer days are held at various parks and greenways around the St. Louis City and County regions. Other community partners such as Forest ReLeaf, St. Louis Forestry Division, and St. Louis County Parks also join in on these projects! Not only are these volunteer days a great way to give back to the community through land stewardship, but they’re also an opportunity to enjoy nature while engaging with members of the community who also have a fondness for these green spaces!
Join OLC at the Great Rivers Greenway volunteer days! Whether you're planting trees or restoring habitats, you'll meet great people and leave a positive impact on nature in St. Louis! It’s a great way to make friends while making a difference in the environment!
OLC will help lead the following volunteer events:
- October 19: Honeysuckle Hack at St. Vincent Park
- November 9: Tree Planting at Fairground Park
- November 23: Honeysuckle Hack at Unger Park
- December 7: Tree Planting at North Riverfront Park
Sign up to be apart of these volunteer days by going to the Great Rivers Greenway website.
Crew Members in main image - Left to right: Olivia Dove; Conservation Education Instructor, Grace Martinez; Restoration Assistant, Jared Lyeki; Assistant Crew Leader, Kinsey Bakameyer; Restoration Assistant, Kylie Patrico; Restoration Assistant, Sam Bowers; Restoration Assistant.
Picture at Chain of Rocks Bridge, taken by Fletcher; Community Programs Supervisor