A LANDSCAPE DESIGNED BY NATURE.
A DIALOGUE DESIGNED BY SCIENCE.
WELCOME TO THE BIRCH CREEK COLLECTIVE
A place where modern leaders step into an environment that transforms how they think, how they collaborate, and how they choose to steward the future.
Across the sweeping valley of Birch Creek lies a rare convergence of ecology, conservation, and human purpose. In one of the most vital migration corridors of the American West, we are building something that feels both ancient and urgently new. A place where scientific rewilding meets the Power of Awe. Where civic dialogue is reshaped by silence, sky, and the humbling presence of wilderness.
A complete ecosystem of idea + action, awe + neuroscience, conversation + responsibility.
A nature-grounded, neuroscience-based approach to dialogue where leaders gather in the valley for meaningful conversation, reflection,
and human reconnection.
We are building a Camp David for everyone.
Powered by Rewilding America Now
the scientific, ecological, and action-driven arm of rewilding and landscape restoration.
“What Birch Creek Dialogues creates in the quiet of nature is the rare space where understanding can grow and solutions can finally take root.
We need more Americans willing to understand, process and act on awe as a way of detoxing our egos and broadening our perspectives. We have moved as far to both the left and right as possible, now we need to find higher ground. In a literal sense.”
Rep. Steve Israel
Founder and Chairman
BIRCH CREEK DIALOGUES OBJECTIVES
Use The Power of Nature to Bridge Disagreement
Utilize our 160 acres in Idaho as a place to facilitate constructive dialogue among elected officials, heads of business, thought leaders, creatives, and activists. Our unique setting is based on emerging science on the power of nature in reducing polarization and strengthening cognitive elements required for building consensus.
An increasing number of public and private enterprises are investing in dialogue as a way of building resilience and sharpening strategic agility.
Deepen Civic Engagement
Create programs that deepen civic engagement by grounding participants in a unique natural setting, free from the influence of partisanship, social media and sound-bites.
Conserve & Renew
Collaborations on conservation and economic vitality facilitate constructive dialogue with disparate stakeholders in critical wilderness areas.
Research and Evaluation
Provide access to environmental neuroscientists and others whose research is focused on the cognitive benefits of awe and nature, including research fellowships and the potential for replicability.
Building Consensus in Communities
The Future of Birch Creek depends on local economic support today. Here, local stakeholders seek to collaborate on strategies that honor the past, secure the present and protect lands and livelihoods for future generations.
POWER
OF
NATURE
CIVIC
DISCOURSE
SCIENCE
OF
AWE
When the land invites awe, the mind opens.
COLLABORATIVE
PARTNERSHIPS
Engaging local communities, ranchers, farmers, tribal leaders, and government officials to scale impactful conservation solutions.
POLICY
DEVELOPMENT
Establishing a model for consensus building on critical conservation and economic renewal initiatives.
COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
Hosting nature-based retreats and educational programs partnered with local communities.
“There is nothing more powerful than working to Rewild our natural habitats.
The beauty and awe that comes from nature are gifts that can help us find our way back to a place of balance and collaboration amongst each other. ”
Manda Kalimian
Founder of Rewilding America Now
Science. Stewardship. The Future of Rewilding.
Step into the work that is actively championing the Birch Creek Valley and strengthening its role as a critical wildlife migration corridor linking Yellowstone to the Central Idaho Wilderness. The Birch Creek Project is a living laboratory where ecological monitoring, scientific research, and climate resilience strategies are put into practice.
Explore:
• The science of rewilding and why it matters now
• Biodiversity, watershed health, and keystone species stewardship
• The economic impact of biodiverse ecosystems and resilient landscapes
• Habitat monitoring and ecosystem connectivity
• Indigenous history and ecological monitoring
• Landscape-scale conservation efforts
• How science and awe work together to shift civic engagement
Leadership and Advisory Team
Rep. Steve Israel
Founder and Chairman
Manda Kalimian
President
Monica Tranel
Advisor
Rep. Tim Ryan
Advisor
Rep. Peter King
Advisor
David Calone
Advisor
Jordan Whittaker
Advisor
Paul Silbernagel
Advisor
Samantha Skenandore
Director Legal Counsel
Dr. Erick Lundgren
Advisor
BIRCH CREEK VALLEY, IDAHO
Birch Creek Valley in Lemhi County is a landscape where cultural heritage and ecological significance meet. Once traveled by the Lewis and Clark Expedition and long shaped by Native American communities who relied on its mountains and natural resources, the valley remains a living testament to human history. Today, it functions as a critical migration corridor linking Yellowstone to the Central Idaho Wilderness, a vital wildlife and genetic “highway” that protects biodiversity, strengthens ecosystem resilience, and supports keystone species. Its sweeping grasslands, beaver-rich waterways, and the iconic silhouette of Bell Mountain create a setting that evokes awe — a place where climate resilience, land conservation, and historic cultural value are not concepts but living realities.
