Gary Wells is a native of Santa Barbara County, where he developed his love of mountains, coastal landscapes, and chaparral country. He graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and began his career as an elementary school teacher in Paso Robles before he and his wife, Shannon, moved to Placer County in 2004. While continuing his teaching career in Auburn, Gary started volunteering with Placer Land Trust, where he got an in-depth introduction to the amazing landscapes that Placer Land Trust protects. Little did he know of the incredible expansion of land protected by Placer Land Trust that lay ahead, or that his continued affiliation with them for years to come would lead to his next career.
As time moved on, Gary continued to volunteer for Placer Land Trust in various capacities, including being part of the Community Council and hike docent team, while also receiving the Land Steward of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards. In 2022, Gary decided to hang up his teaching hat after more than two decades in the classroom to seek a new career in the conservation field. After a stint working as a forestry technician for Sierra Streams Institute in Nevada City, Gary found himself looking at a job opportunity at the place he fortuitously found in an internet search many years before — Placer Land Trust. Gary is thrilled to be part of our team as a Stewardship Assistant, helping manage and protect precious landscapes in Placer County.
In his spare time, Gary’s hobbies are mostly focused in the areas of nature and music. He is an avid backpacker and has section hiked over 1,300 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. He also enjoys spending time outside birding, trail running, kayaking and snowshoeing. He is a volunteer broadcaster at community radio station KVMR in Nevada City, hosting a show called Crooked Highway. He also invites musicians to perform in his living room as a host of Crooked House Concerts. Gary also loves playing banjo, digging around in the yard, and hanging out with his wife and adventure buddy, Shannon, who is a teacher and fellow Placer Land Trust hike docent.
“As life-long explorer of the many landscapes of California, I settled down in Placer County and quickly developed a deep connection to our region’s woodlands, grasslands, waterways, and mountains. At the same time, I became concerned for the future of these landscapes in light of the rapid development that has been occurring here. Being part of the Placer Land Trust team and helping protect and share these special places is a genuine honor for a nature advocate and explorer like me.”
