Q&A with Hilary Cosentino, Initiatives Program Manager

In two sentences, tell us what you do at The Freshwater Trust.

In my nearly nine years at TFT, I have worked with my colleagues and our partners to monitor ecological response to restoration sites (habitat, plants, fish, water quality), build projects (riparian, instream habitat, and fish passage), and develop programs that provide creative, practical, and scalable solutions to restore rivers across Oregon and Idaho.

In my current role, I manage watershed-scale programs and initiatives that coordinate funders, farmers, and resource managers to reduce agricultural runoff that contributes to degraded and sometimes toxic water quality concerns.

What’s the most important thing you’re working on right now?

Restoring and repairing the Snake River has been my top priority.

The Snake River suffers from serious water quality impairments, including algae blooms, low levels of oxygen, and dangerous concentrations of toxic methylmercury. A primary cause of these impairments stems from excess agricultural runoff that delivers nutrients and sediment to the river. TFT has over a decade of experience helping stakeholders in Idaho understand and define actionable solutions to address water quality issues in the Snake. Further, TFT has developed sophisticated analytics that allow us to calculate the cost and environmental benefit of implementing irrigation efficiency projects that reduce runoff.

By working with local partners and producers, we can prioritize implementing irrigation improvements that benefit producers and provide cost-effective environmental outcomes.

Funding for these projects has been an issue, but right now we have gained access to historic (but temporary) funding available through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With these new opportunities, TFT is committed to helping our partners secure funding and strategically implement projects at a speed and scale that will meaningfully improve water quality.

What’s something that’s happening at the organization right now that you are very excited about?

The initiatives to address water quality and excess agricultural runoff in the Snake River are generating a lot of momentum and partner support, which has been amazing. I’m very excited to see how far we can take it. These initiatives will help farmers be more flexible and resilient to changing climate and economic factors while providing large-scale water quality improvements to a river that desperately needs them. Who doesn’t love a win-win?

With a smile on her face, Hilary uses TFT technology to monitor the basin and collect vital conservation data.

What do you love about working for The Freshwater Trust?

I love that TFT takes on big problems and relentlessly works to find creative and pragmatic solutions. As a nonprofit, we can partner with anyone and aren’t limited by jurisdictional boundaries like many resource managers. Because of this, we can really fill spaces and connect dots that may otherwise go unaddressed.

Aside from our work’s impacts, TFT’s work culture emphasizes the importance of life outside the office. Being able to prioritize family, friends, and time recreating in rivers makes me much more energized to return to work and protect the rivers we all love.

Last book you read or movie you watched?

Dune: Part 2 (obsessed) and Deep by James Nestor.

Last place you traveled.

Anchorage, Alaska.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to prioritize relationships with family and a close-knit community, travel, a home with a beautiful garden, fly fishing, exploring outside as much as possible, and (of course) fixing rivers.

Out fishing on the Owyhee River, a tributary of the Snake River.

What’s your number one piece of advice for someone trying to get into this field?

Explore what you like and what you don’t like. Identify what you’re good at and not as good at. There are so many directions you can go in the environmental field. You can specialize in a specific niche or be a generalist. And you can decide whether to work in academia, government, a consulting firm, or a nonprofit organization. Whatever you decide will play into the type of impact you make in the world and the lifestyle you lead. Choose something that fills you up, emphasizes your unique abilities, and supports the life you want.