Meet the Team - Lynell Sutter

Meet Lynell Sutter – Habitat Improvement Program Director

Hello! I'm Lynell Sutter, Habitat Improvement Program Director for the Snake River Birds of Prey NCA Partnership (BOPP) and founder of Steppe Environmental.

My love for the sagebrush steppe started early in my career while working for the Bureau of Land Management conducting rangeland health assessments throughout southwestern Idaho. Spending long days in these landscapes taught me to appreciate the small things that make them special—wildflowers blooming from rocky slopes, hidden springs, unique soils, and the incredible plants and wildlife that call these places home.

That fascination led me to pursue a master's degree studying biological soil crusts and eventually a career focused on native plants, restoration, and environmental planning. For more than 20 years, I've worked across Idaho studying plant communities, conducting botanical surveys, managing invasive species, and helping restore and conserve sagebrush-steppe habitats. From searching for slickspot peppergrass in dusty deserts to helping plan large-scale restoration projects, I've been fortunate to spend much of my career working in the landscapes I care about most.

What I enjoy most about this work is the opportunity to be outside, meet passionate people, and help conserve and restore the landscapes that make Idaho special. Whether I'm collecting seed, assessing and monitoring vegetation communities, planning restoration projects, or working alongside volunteers, I feel lucky to spend my days helping conserve the places that make Idaho unique.

What is the best nature experience you've ever had?

It's hard to pick just one, but many of my favorite memories come from exploring the Owyhee Canyonlands. Floating Idaho's rivers has always been one of my greatest passions, and the Owyhee River has provided some of my most memorable adventures. The remote canyons, wildlife encounters, star-filled nights, and historic ranches scattered across the landscape have all shaped my appreciation for the places we work to conserve today.

What is your favorite raptor species?

The burrowing owl. They're full of personality, surprisingly tough, and perfectly adapted to Idaho's open grasslands and shrub-steppe landscapes. Every time I see one, I'm reminded how important healthy habitat is for the many species that depend on these ecosystems.

What are your favorite grass, forb, shrub, and tree?

Grass: Needle-and-thread grass: I love the way entire hillsides seem to come alive when the wind catches its long awns.

Forb: Bitterroot: Finding those showy pink to white flowers blooming out of rocky ground never gets old.

Shrub: Antelope bitterbrush: The smell of bitterbrush in bloom is one of my favorite signs of spring.

Tree: Curl-leaf mountain mahogany: There's something special about seeing these gnarled, resilient trees clinging to rocky desert ridges where few other trees can survive.

What do you enjoy outside of work?

When I'm not working, you'll usually find me spending time with family, tackling home improvement projects, cold plunging at the river, hiking in the foothills, or, most recently, rockhounding and discovering new corners of Idaho I might not have explored otherwise.