Beauty is Everywhere by Margaret Foley

Beauty is Everywhere by Margaret Foley

When you search the internet for “beauty in nature,” you get a lot of results. Most of them are pictures of far off places — mountains, lagoons, rolling hills. Everyone has a different opinion of what is or is not beautiful, but I think what we can all agree on is...
Snakes by Sarah Hatfield

Snakes by Sarah Hatfield

It is an otherworldly sound – it both belongs and doesn’t. At once it instills a fear that renders you motionless, but also attracts you with a deep rooted thrill fueled by adrenaline. Rattlesnake. I remember my first wild Pennsylvania rattlesnake. Black phase female,...
A Case for Parks by Katie Finch

A Case for Parks by Katie Finch

At this time last year, I found myself ready to leave one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. We had just found what appeared to be the last parking spot in Zion National Park and were walking to what looked like a never ending line for the tram to go into...
A Child’s Perspective by Jeff Tome

A Child’s Perspective by Jeff Tome

One of my favorite parts of being a naturalist is watching kids discover things they have never seen before. So many children simply don’t get the opportunity to explore outdoors or don’t even know that exploring outside is an option. Audubon does a lot of programs...
Visiting My Flowery Friends by Margaret Foley

Visiting My Flowery Friends by Margaret Foley

When I was in college I usually ate my lunch at the Trailhead Café, a little café just inside ESF’s campus center. The Trailhead doesn’t look like much to a random stranger just wandering through, but to the students at ESF the Trailhead was the closest thing we had...
Birds and Basking by Sarah Hatfield

Birds and Basking by Sarah Hatfield

This is the time of year that I fully understand the value of basking. Lying on the ground, cushioned by the newly growing grass, the kiss of the sun on my winter skin is deep and satisfying. I can feel my muscles relax and my mind wander. When I close my eyes, the...