Light kisses the top cliffs in the Grand Canyon

Kaya McAlister

Utah Public Lands Manager

“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”

— Mary Oliver

A resident of southern Utah, Kaya lives in a tiny home she built with her partner and tends to a small garden. She spends ample time exploring wilderness, volunteering with local conservation organizations, getting to know local ecology, and learning about environmental issues that impact the lands she loves. With a background in sustainable farming and land stewardship, she has learned to view the landscape holistically to achieve collaborative land management.

Kaya is devoted to the wellbeing of the landscapes she calls home. She has worked with the Grand Canyon Trust in many capacities over the years — as a dedicated volunteer, a field technician with the Volunteer Program, and an intern with the Utah Public Lands Program. Now, as a Utah public lands manager, she aspires to ensure responsible management of the region’s precious landscapes and watersheds, and the myriad of life depending on them.

Favorite plateau plants

  • Meadow thistle
  • Horsetail milkweed
  • Indian ricegrass

Favorite activities

  • Gathering and crafting with wild plants
  • Observing her non-human land mates
  • “Lizarding” — soaking up the sunshine
  • Scrambling across the stone-laden earth

Little-known facts

  • Was once a competitive skateboarder
  • Enjoys weaving baskets
  • Listens to heavy metal on long drives

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