Healing the Soil, Healing Our Communities | Abigail McClaflin | TEDxUniversity of Montana Western

A lifelong Yellowstone guide explores what thriving ecosystems can teach us about the future of agriculture. Through the lens of regenerative farming, she reveals how rebuilding biodiversity can restore soil, strengthen rural communities, and create a more resilient future. Sponsored by the Fund for Experience One, our conference provides a multidisciplinary forum for academic minds to gather and exchange ideas worth sharing. Speakers selected to present at TEDx University of Montana Western are directly connected to the local community or have topics that support Montana Western’s mission and values. TEDx University of Montana Western showcases the diversity and academic fortitude of our institution while providing a venue for speakers to submit their research to a global network. This conference was filmed in front of a live audience on March 21, 2026 in the Beier Auditorium. Learn more about TEDxUniversity of Montana Western by visiting www.umwestern.edu/tedx-umw/ or www.umwestern.edu. Abbey McClaflin’s passion is to continue building the bridge between land, livestock, and human health through regenerative agriculture practices. This May, she will earn a B.S. in Environmental Sciences with a minor in Farm and Ranch Operations from the University of Montana Western. Her senior thesis explores a variety of soil health benefits by increasing soil microbiome activity with a locally produced biological stimulant. Abbey works for the Southwest Montana Sagebrush Partnership in Dillon, MT where she collaborates with local ranchers to evaluate the ecological and economic benefits of virtual fence technology. Post graduation, she plans to continue studying integrative approaches to livestock management, and it's affect on rangeland plants and wildlife. During the summer, you can join Abbey on a variety of horse packing trips in Yellowstone National Park, where she shares the history, beauty, and ecology of the natural world through her family’s business, Sunrise Pack Station. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx