Introducing Garret Visser: IWF’s Conservation Program Coordinator

As the Conservation Program Coordinator and newest staff member of IWF, Garret will work to elevate the voices of Idahoans concerned and impacted by declining salmon and steelhead returns.

Garret grew up on the coast of South Carolina where the tides flowing into the saltwater marsh dictated his sleep schedule. His father placed an 8-weight fly rod in his hands and gifted him a leaky jon boat to scan the Lowcountry marsh for redfish.

Garret moved to Missoula, Montana and earned a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana. He and a tight knit group of friends spent their college years duck hunting and fishing across Montana, Canada, and anywhere there were new places to explore. He spent his summers working near Glacier National Park and in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area as a whitewater, fly fishing, and wilderness guide.

In 2016, he left the mountains of Western Montana and moved to Oregon to pursue a degree from Lewis & Clark Law School. The Master of Studies in Natural Resource and Environmental Law degree Garret received pairs well with his background of Wildlife Biology to communicate difficult issues with individuals of diverse perspectives.

Before joining IWF, Garret worked closely with landowners and public land managers in Montana to restore historic pronghorn migration routes that had been blocked off for decades. He is excited to be with IWF to have the opportunity to work closely with Idahoans to conserve wildlife and sporting opportunities for future generations.

You can usually find Garret behind his bird dog in the fall, training for the next upcoming season, or rowing his father down some of the best trout fisheries in the West. Once home, he enjoys sharing his bacon wrapped chukar and jalapeno cream sauce dish with friends.

Get in touch with Garret here.