I thought it would be fun to explore the possibilities of writing on a blogsite, or rather, my sweetheart Cory thought it should be something I should do, so I’m following her advice….. or should I say, her hard-to-say-no-to advice.  So here we are, and as many of you know I’ve been working in the out-of-doors for many years, and I’ve also brought a political perspective to my work and life, through my studies at SUNY New Paltz, and a Master’s in Social Ecology from the great progressive college in Vermont, Goddard.

I call my profession that of “environmental education,” which is different than that of a naturalist, who is primarily a field-tested biologist and can share with you the fine differences between pennywort, penny royal, pennycress, and the amazing waterpenny.  All environmental educators are part-naturalists, for sure, but our profession is more into learning how to be  good interpreters of the natural world, as well as how to create effective and fun ways of sharing nature with people of different ages. 

Some of things I’m most proud of:  3 autumns in Churchill, Manitoba as a guide aboard giant Tundra Buggies searching for polar bears on the shoreline of Hudson’s Bay; 39 summers on the coast of Maine working for National Audubon’s Hog Island Camp and the Puffin Project; working in local schools here in the Hudson River Valley and helping to connect kids directly to nature; and my work on books, essays and articles over the years.

I live in Garrison, New York with my life partner, Cory Ethridge, and from our back windows we can see birds at the feeders, and the occasional raccoon, possum, skunk, and red fox.  Yay for nature, our great blessing…..