They map plants, monitor wildlife, and teach America’s children how to appreciate the natural world. They also conduct research, keep the parks beautiful, and advocate for conservation. Meet seven incredible women working to keep America’s national parks pristine.
Denise Amador, Northern California
Denise spends enough time outdoors to make John Muir jealous. When she’s not at work, she’s exploring the most jaw-dropping mountain views and landscapes America’s West has to offer. When she’s at work, well—see for yourself. Her Instagram feed is full of snakes, skinks, and stunning snapshots of her treks across various national parks. Her most recent posts show her mapping plants and working in the field.
Holly Scott, New York City
A recent transplant to New York City from Colorado, Holly is properly acclimating to life in the big city with plenty of baseball games, tourist destinations, and rooftop views. That’s when she isn’t finding homes for abandoned pet turtles, surveying beached whales, or cataloguing local fauna, of course. Her recent posts showcase a mix of city and wild, with an emphasis on New York’s natural world and wicked cool animals.
Laura Bromigo, California
Laura has a background in law enforcement and put in her time protecting Yosemite National Park as a ranger in 2016. While she worked with NPS, her posts show her singing in the hills, rappelling off “Middle Earth,” and saving bear cubs after their mother was hit and killed by a car. Calling Yosemite “a place like Heaven” on Earth, Laura is now working at what she describes as “a beautiful Christian summer camp in Kentucky” — though she admits now and then she misses the stunning views from California.
Mercedes Leigh, Colorado
Mercedes Leigh has a M.S. in forestry and a B.S. in biology, and puts her brain to work helping save the planet. The co-founder of conserVANtion — a non-profit with a mission to “increase conservation awareness and education through stewardship in local communities”—Mercedes works out of Colorado, showcasing in her posts outdoor adventures that range from running and hiking to cleaning up public places and electroshock fishing, the latter of which is used “to determine how our conservation efforts are working.” Take a look at her work below.
Erin Aadalen, Minnesota
Currently located in Minnesota, Erin Aadalen’s feed is pure nature porn—and she’s constantly traveling from one breathtaking place to the next. From the deep reds and oranges of Zion National Park in the fall to rushing waterfalls in late summer in Utah, Erin’s passion for the outdoors is palpable in the photographs she posts to her Instagram feed. She also recently adopted a puppy, so any scrolling is punctuated by a healthy dose of humankind’s best friend. Take a look.
Amanda Zimmerman, Maryland
Like the others on our list, Amanda never stops moving. When she’s not spending time at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, she’s posing with Joe Biden, exploring other corners of the country, and admiring all types of wildlife—even the bees—on the way.
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