I grew up in the lowland forests of southeastern Pennsylvania before making my way west in 2011, and spent the last decade living across the American West, from CO to WA to MT, chasing adventures, telling stories and guiding in the backcountry. In May 2023, I completed a master’s degree in Environmental Journalism at the University of Montana, where I worked on stories exploring the intersection between identity, mental health and climate change. I also completed the UM Natural Resource Conflict Resolution Certificate Program.

I am deeply inspired by remote places, especially in the alpine and on the water, and I’ve spent my life exploring them. Now I’m slowly making myself a home in Missoula, Montana, learning to find balance between time indoors and out, and shifting between my three roles: environmental storyteller, natural resource facilitator, and backcountry guide.

While these three roles might sound different, they each allow me to ask the following questions in different ways:

What can we learn from the landscapes and communities that surround us?

How does it feel to have a relationship with place?

How can we deepen our connections to our communities and our landscapes by sharing our stories and working together?

These are questions I’ve spent my life asking, and I’m deeply thankful that I’m able to continue exploring these spaces in my professional life.

In my free time, I’m either out in the landscape trying to climb up things or trying to slow down with rivers.

If you’d like to work together, or have any questions for me, please reach out at richardhforbes@gmail.com!