New naturalist for Audobon Society connects people with nature
Jessica Ryan loves the Wyoming night sky.
She loves the mountains.
She loves the wide open spaces.
Naturally, she loves her job.
Ryan, 31, came to Casper five weeks ago to work for the Audubon Society as a community naturalist. So she’s an expert at “connecting people with nature.”
In short, she’s a teacher. And 450 acres of wilderness serves as her classroom.
“In Wyoming, it’s a lot easier to be connected to the land and the Earth because you just see it,” Ryan said. “It’s just so present.”
A native of Pennsylvania, Ryan hasn’t always been a Western gal but she has always loved nature. She grew up on an “Old McDonald farm,” where her family raised an assortment of crops and critters.
This personal connection with her environment led to a passion that would stick with her throughout her education and eventually land her right in the middle of the Wyoming wild.
She spent 10 years in Ohio, first working for a hospital doing medical technology and then educational services for city and national parks. When she decided to pursue a graduate degree in natural science she and her husband, Ron, headed west.
She attended the Teton Science Schools’ professional residency in environmental education with an emphasis in natural history interpretation, while Ron managed a bookstore for Grand Teton National Park. The couple then moved to Laramie, where Ryan earned a dual master’s degree from the University of Wyoming in natural resources and natural science and environment.
Now, two years after entering the state the Ryans have landed in Casper and hit the ground running.
“I’m still learning the landscape and natural history of Casper and this area.” she said. “But I’m keeping and eye on what’s out there and what I can share right now that’s interesting.”
Her classroom is perfect. The Casper Mountain area provides an abundance of flora and fauna with all the resources she needs. And the enthusiasm of her pupils fuels her own passion for nature.
“It’s definitely lots of work when I have kids out here, but the energy of the students is amazing,” she said. “It’s always rejuvenating to get a group of kids out here.”
She said she also has much to learn from the adults and loves listening to their stories.
“The people we have here are amazing. They can identify a bird by two notes of a call,” she said. “It’s so great to see how smart they are and how connected to the land and environment.”
In the upcoming months and years, Ryan said she has some new ideas on how to creatively connect people to nature. She’s going to start a nature video club and use podcasts to reach people well outside of Casper.
“I’m definitely going to use different outlets to try and get people snagged in this area and even outside of this area,” she said. “Soon everyone will want to come to Casper.”
In the meantime, Ryan and her husband are in the market for paddles to complement their newly acquired canoe. Come fall, Ron will teach orchestra and guitar at Kelly Walsh High School and Jess will be busy with school tours and programs.
Until then, they’ll be enjoying the wide open spaces, the nearby peaks and the beautiful summer skies.
Reach reporter Riane Mendardi at (307) 266-0610 or riane.menardi@trib.com
By RIANE MENARDI
Star-Tribune staff writer