Meet the two newest members of the Vital Ground team!
With the need to protect and connect the Northern Rockies’ open space and wildlife habitat more urgent than ever, Vital Ground is increasing the capacity of our conservation program to help meet that need. Last month, the organization welcomed two new staffers to our Conservation Department: Project Manager Dylan Ritter and Stewardship Coordinator Kyle Van Atta.
As a project manager, Dylan will work directly with landowners to conserve key pieces of private land that align with Vital Ground’s One Landscape conservation strategy. He brings with him a passion for habitat conservation and recent land trust experience in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, which he has called home along with the Missoula area for more than 25 years.
“When I am deep in grizzly bear habitat, I feel alive and connected to an ancient way of being,” says Dylan. “Vital Ground and their partners are working to keep wild places wild and it’s a dream come true to be a part of this amazing team and mission.”
A graduate of the University of Montana, Dylan holds a B.S. in Ecosystem Science & Restoration with an emphasis on aquatic ecosystem restoration. Through various positions, he has had the pleasure of working with many different groups and agencies across Montana to collect data on a wide variety of wildlife.
Those experiences inspired his drive to protect habitat for grizzly bears and the countless other species of flora and fauna that share that habitat, ensuring large connected landscapes endure for future generations of humans and wildlife alike. He’s also passionate about public lands and open spaces, with a particular love for exploring old growth forests and vast wilderness areas. When he’s not in the office or out in the field, Dylan is sure to be off seeking special corners of Montana in search of wildlife, wildflowers and fossils, or deeply immersed in Missoula’s music scene and community. He and his partner, along with their dog Rally, spend their days cooking with friends, floating, hiking and traveling the world.
While Dylan advances new conservation projects, Kyle joins Vital Ground’s stewardship program, bringing with him a dedication to the hands-on care of the Northern Rockies’ vital habitats. His role will include actively managing and monitoring the organization’s fee title properties and working with our landowner partners to ensure the stewardship of protected conservation easements.
“I’m excited to join Vital Ground and contribute to their mission of not only grizzly conservation, but helping all of the region’s wildlife,” says Kyle. “I hope to support the management, maintenance and monitoring of Vital Ground’s properties and conservation easements and leverage my scientific background to strengthen Vital Ground’s monitoring efforts.”
A Montana native who grew up in Polson, Kyle’s love for wild places is deeply rooted. Raised in a family that spent its time hunting, fishing and camping, he naturally gravitated toward a career in the outdoors. After earning a biology degree with a minor in wildlife biology from the University of Montana in 2013, Kyle spent six years pursuing wildlife monitoring and research opportunities that led him throughout the American West to the rugged landscapes of Alaska and all the way to the tropical forests of Costa Rica.
Since returning to Montana in 2019, Kyle has applied his field expertise as a biological science technician, range technician and seismic surveyor for various agencies, universities, nonprofits and private businesses. He brings a practical, hands-on understanding of natural resource management to Vital Ground, along with a unique talent for GIS mapping and tackling invasive weeds. Always eager to learn, Kyle holds a graduate certificate in fish and wildlife management from American Military University, and in 2026 added a Master of Natural Resources and a GIS graduate certificate from Oregon State University to his toolkit. When he’s not out in the field for work, Kyle is usually exploring the landscape with his wife and their two beagles. Whether they are backpacking, hiking, camping or snowboarding, they love staying active. To mix things up, they also enjoy scuba diving and tracking down great new restaurants to try.
Join us in giving Dylan and Kyle a griz-sized welcome to the Vital Ground team!