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So, Who Are We, Anyway?
Peggy Traver
Peggy Traver never set out to be a
naturalist, but looking back, it seems inevitable that she would eventually combine her
love of the outdoors with her love of teaching and learning. Growing up in LaCrosse
between the Mississippi River and the bluffs taught her to love the outdoors. Though
she never had much of a science background, she likes "looking at the moment and
trying to help children see the out-of-doors
through new ideas." She has been able to
combine her avocational interest in nature with
her teaching vocation by being a naturalist at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center for the
last eight years. She claims she "fell into
the job" because "there's no better way to
learn than to teach." As a resident of Monona, she feels very proprietary about the Center.
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Peggy came to the Adult Conservation Team to
accumulate volunteer hours for the Master Gardener course. She particularly enjoys working with Wayne
Pauly; his
prairie folklore appeals to her sense of history
and she learns a lot from "hanging around" with him.
She's collected, weighed and planted seeds, and cut many a mile of honeysuckle (with
Ken Siemers) at Lake Farm Park.. For several
years she was also a Bicentennial Oak Steward there.
As if that isn't enough, she and her husband Jon are Land Steward Coordinators at
the Leopold Center. Jon is a Monona City Council member and was involved in the effort to
save the last open space land in Monona when it
was threatened by development a few years ago. Together they lead volunteer crews in a
variety of habitat restoration projects. Jon has
become adept with a chain saw and Peggy says
"Just give me a pruning shears and a lopper and
I'm happy." We're very happy that we've been able to provide
Peggy with many opportunities to combine her love of nature and
learning. |
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Booklovers, Turn in Your Receipts!
Canterbury Booksellers Supports the Adult Conservation Team
When you make a purchase at Canterbury Booksellers, ask them to save the receipts in the "Dane County Parks
Adult Conservation Team" envelope. When the totals of those receipts add up to $500, they will donate
two rooms at the Canterbury Inn to us to be auctioned off at future picnics as a fundraiser to benefit the Adult Conservation Team.
Each room in this delightful bed and breakfast above the bookstore is decorated in the Canterbury Tales theme, complete
with an original mural. Please consider shopping at Canterbury and benefiting the Adult Conservation Team.
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A WORD FROM THE PARKS
DIRECTOR
Ken LePine
I never thought we would be recruiting volunteers through
the Internet, but here we are. Now a project completed by a
student intern who read about the Adult Conservation Team on the
Internet could have a significant influence on how we perceive and
run our park system. Maja Zarini, a student from Germany
studying at American University in Washington DC, read about the
ACT program and e-mailed Louise. One thing lead to another and we
gained our second international volunteer (our first was
Louise Marra from New Zealand, who helped us develop a better
image and new logo). As a result of that e-mail contact, Maja has
assisted us in the development of a park classification system.
The intent is to classify the lands we manage into categories and
then areas. This classification will provide the Commission and staff with a set of guidelines for planning and managing our
diverse properties. It will also keep the public informed about the
reasons we acquire, preserve, and develop various properties, and the
public uses for which they are intended.
I am amazed by how things get done today and by the
resourcefulness of our staff, volunteers and students. Ken
Hanson, a student intern from Marshall University in Virginia,
developed the foundation for the park classification system last summer.
Working with a Park Commission subcommittee, Maja
finished developing the park classification system this spring. The
Parks Department and its programs continue to evolve. Thanks for
the help, Maja!
- Ken |
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