North Coast Land Conservancy has a new team member! Nick Bromen stepped into the land steward position on April 29, bringing with him more than a decades-worth of knowledge and experience gained from a variety of fieldwork in the Pacific Northwest, as well as Canada, Montana, and Texas.
Nick grew up in Olympia, Washington, close to the Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, and Mount Rainier. He credits his parents with taking their family to experience those places.
“That was a big part of fostering an appreciation for the outdoors,” he says. “I love being among the trees and in open spaces.”
He attended The Evergreen State College for undergraduate studies, majoring in biology. A few days after graduating, he started his first field job in Alberta, Canada.
That was the beginning of a nearly decade-long phase that revolved around a mobile lifestyle, with Nick moving frequently to take on a series of field jobs for various entities, from universities to state and federal agencies. At times, he worked with crews; other times, independently. Some of his past jobs and volunteer experiences included working on the Yellowstone Wolf Project and doing wolverine research in Glacier National Park. He’s also had a variety of roles, including crew lead and assistant project manager, but all of them have primarily focused on being out in the field, doing hands-on tasks—or being “boots on the ground,” Nick says.
In 2017, he moved to Texas to get his master’s degree in wildlife & fisheries sciences from Texas A&M. He describes the state as a varied place, with diverse habitats that provided a stark contrast to what he was used to growing up in the Pacific Northwest. Environmentally, he says, “I might as well have been in South America or someplace completely foreign.” He got to experience a new and interesting array of plant and wildlife species in Texas Hill Country, dominated by oak savanna and cacti.
Getting Involved at NCLC
After finishing his master’s program, Nick moved to the Oregon Coast in 2018, splitting his time between Nehalem and Montana. Drawn by its arts, culture and community, he then relocated to Astoria in September of 2023. It was then he began volunteering with NCLC, starting with Weed Warrior Wednesdays and other stewardship work parties. He sees land conservation—or preserving “the land around you”—as a worthwhile initiative.
“I really identified with the mission of NCLC and wanted to put my energy and effort into that,” he says.
The land steward position was a natural fit, given his past experience with fieldwork, knowledge of the natural world, and love for the outdoors. He also is passionate about caring for Oregon’s coastal lands and waters and tending to their ecosystems.
“Being a steward is to improve and be responsible for the situation you manage—in this case land,” he says. “I see that as trying to improve the health of the ecological communities out here. There’s been a lot of resource extraction in this area. We’ve got to think long term.”
That involves diversifying the land; helping to restore certain areas to their state before European colonization and the involvement of extraction industries; and putting systems on a healthy trajectory that also benefits plant and wildlife communities.
“I would like to have a hand in that,” Nick says. “This is a critical time for us to do that work.”
In addition to spending time outdoors, Nick also enjoys art and music as pastimes. He plays multiple instruments and enjoys playing with a group.
I really identified with the mission of NCLC and wanted to put my energy and effort into that.
Nick Bromen, Land Steward
Comments
Congratulations to Nick and NCLC for discovering one another. Seems like a good fit for both.
So glad to have you on board, Nick!