Our new CEO brings expertise, heart, and a fearless vision for restoring the forest
Steve Mietz, Save the Redwood League’s new president and CEO, has had a couple months to get his boots underneath him (and a bit muddy). Now that he’s settled, we sat down to talk about what brought him to the League and why this is such an exciting time to work in conservation.
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Q: Do you remember what first got you excited about wilderness and conservation?
A: My dad and my brothers were all Eagle Scouts, so naturally I became an Eagle Scout too and did lots of camping around New Jersey where I grew up. But my big awakening was a high school backpacking trip in northern New Mexico. I hadn’t really been out of the New Jersey area before that. The wilderness and dramatic mountains of New Mexico opened my mind to the possibility that the West might be a better fit for my soul.
You had a long career as a superintendent in the National Park Service before joining the League. What drew you to public lands service?
Well, besides getting to work amidst the best natural treasures in the United States, I love history, natural resources, visitor experiences, and stewardship. So the National Park Service was a natural fit for me. It wrapped all these things together into preserving and protecting incredible places for future generations. It’s such a compelling mission.
Quick—what’s the most underrated national park?
Great Basin National Park, in eastern Nevada. You can see bristlecone pines there—some of the oldest trees in the world. You can explore caves and even climb a 13,000-foot mountain, all in one day. It’s one of the least-visited national parks, but all the facilities are brand new. Want to experience a slower-paced and less-crowded national park like the parks were in the 1950s? Go to Great Basin.
What excites you the most about leading the League?
Being freed up to spend my time focused on the core mission of protecting and restoring the redwoods. As a park superintendent, I had a million different things to manage. But now my chief responsibility is the revival of these incredible forests throughout California. I took the juiciest, most fun parts of my park service career—resource protection and connecting with people—and now I get to do them all the time.
You seem eager to meet this moment, when conservation is facing political and economic challenges. What motivates you?
I grew up in the shadow of the 1960s. By the time I was coming of age two decades later, it felt like most of the big environmental battles had been won. Crucial laws protecting the environment had been passed, like the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. But now it feels like that progress is unraveling. If we don’t stand up and fight for the environment in a smart way, that progress could be lost.
How do we do that?
By being positive and proactive to protect the planet and places we love from existential threats. The League is well positioned to do exactly that. We’re mission focused on these magnificent and essential trees, which is such an awesome place to be. It gives us a strong footing and keeps us grounded. Focusing on restoration and all the wonderful things that can be done with our fantastic partners—it helps us stay positive. We really can accomplish so much.
You’ve already become known around the office for your abundant positivity.
Yep, that’s me: Audaciously optimistic. That’s what keeps me going, and it’s the message I have for the conservation community. Let’s not get lost in what seems too hard. Let’s not get caught up in doom scrolling. Together we can make a real difference, no matter what headwinds slow us down.
Speaking of slowing down, when you’re not working, what are you dreaming of?
That’s an easy one: backpacking. I’d have a hard time choosing between a few months on the Pacific Crest Trail or the Continental Divide Trail. Just savoring that deep time in the mountains. I don’t have as much time as I get busier—and older—and I really miss that intimate connection with wild places. A few years ago, I took my oldest son on a two-week backpacking trip in the same New Mexico mountains that started everything for me. It was incredible. I’d love to do it again.
Being an Eagle Scout and spending decades in the National Park Service, you must have some incredible stories from the backcountry.
Well, sure. I’ve floated down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon 35 times! Oh, and I trapped a live grizzly bear once.
Wait, you trapped a live grizzly bear?
Yeah, well, I didn’t trap it, but I kinda helped. I was working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Grizzly Bear Recovery Program which tracked grizzlies across Montana and adjacent states. To get data, they trapped and briefly sedated the bears—no grizzlies were harmed. I figured I’d show up for a weekend, bring the beer, and not see any bears—they hadn’t trapped one all summer. But we got one the first day I was there. I remember hearing it roar like a lion. After the bear was sedated, I was abandoned by my work partner, who left to check the rest of the traps. I had a few hours all alone with a sleeping grizzly. It was pretty darn cool. Until the bear started to wake up.
Well, you’re probably not going to be dealing with grizzly bears at the League.
That’s okay! I’ll always have my grizzly story.
