A former scientist, and environmentalist who loves to hike and visit historic sites. I love nature in all its forms. There is as much beauty in a cute fluffy baby animals as there is in a fungi, insects, mollusks, fish reptiles, amphibians, etc. I live in a city and think the common creatures and plants are as worthy of study and admiration as the exotic ones. I consider it a nice hike whether I've encountered my zillionth Chickadee or a Brown thrasher. Only recently I have really begun photographing and cataloguing plants, trees, birds and fungi. I have always wanted to be able to identify the natural world, especially in the Northeast US - I suppose it's the scientist in me that relentlessly wants to identify and understand the world. When you've studied science and know nature you can more clearly see the interplay between land, air, water, and living things and see how we are all part of the same ecosystem. We - the humans - are the unusual force that can be part of it or destroy it. I want to be known as one of the people who did a little part to preserve what little is left. I also want to demonstrate that environmental mindfulness is probably more about the little things we do locally as much as it is about the big expensive projects. Often it is combined effort of many little un-environmental practices that add up to the colossal problems.