Witnessing clouds that curl up out of the mountains as if the earth was breathing

A poem by GFP student Hayley Gelfuso of St. Charles, Illinois, was selected for publication by the Plumwood Mountain Journal, which was published in June 2023. It centers on her experience on her 2022 EE course in India where she: "Woke up to the sound of langurs landing on the corrugated roof ... like a roll of thunder" ... spent quiet moments "touching the petals of a turmeric flower in the rain" ... and witnessed "clouds [that] seemed to curl up out of the mountains as if the very earth was breathing." Read more

Making the outdoors a safe and fun place for everyone

AIP student Ash Conway of Cincinnati, Ohio, wrote a blog post for Pride Month, called "Five Outdoor Groups Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces for the LGBTQIA2S+ Community in Cincinnati," which was shared on the Great Parks website for a limited time. Last June Conway was featured in Great Parks' "Pride in the Outdoors" blog series where they shared some of the obstacles they face while enjoying the outdoors as a LGBTQ+ member and offered recommendations for making the outdoors a safe and fun place for everyone. Read more

Converting parks' lawns into habitats

GFP graduate Autumn Costelle '23 of Louisville, Kentucky, wrote an article for National Recreation and Park Association's monthly "Parks and Recreation" magazine. "Parks certainly can’t solve the world’s problems alone, but they do have an important role to play, serving their community and supporting the ecosystem," says Costelle. "If city governments and park departments transform our unused lawn spaces into habitat, we can create cities where both people and wildlife thrive." Costelle works as a naturalist for the Louisville Parks and Recreation Department. Read more

For the love of cheetahs and zookeeping

GFP student Andrea Haugen of Cincinnati, Ohio, will be presenting "Seeing Spots - Public Perception of Ambassador Cheetahs as Pets on Social Media" at the 2023 Association of Zoos and Aquariums conference in September in Columbus, Ohio. Haugen is Senior Cat Ambassador Program Trainer at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. With the pandemic shutting things down in 2020, Haugen took to social media to keep sharing her love of animals and of her job with the world. Known as Andie Panda on Instagram and TikTok, her TikTok account has gained 393,000 followers and more than 8.9 million likes.

Accelerating climate solutions

GFP graduate Adrienne Mrsny '15 of Oakland, California, was awarded a 2023 fellowship by Climatebase, a hiring platform that helps connect businesses, nonprofits, and people working in the climate workforce and mobilizes talent to accelerate climate solutions. Mrsny has also been invited to present at the 2023 Association of Zoos and Aquariums conference in September in Columbus, Ohio. She will present "How Sorting Compost Connects the Dots Between Zoo, Community, and Climate Action." Mrsny has worked as Oakland Zoo's Conservation Manager since April 2021. Read more

For the love of pangolins and communities

GFP student Jessie Schrauger of Orlando, Florida, has taken on a volunteer role assisting with operations for the Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation in Namibia. After connecting with the organization last summer, she has been serving as a U.S. board member, collaborating closely with the director driving social media, global outreach and engagement. Schrauger is excited to be taking part in establishing the team’s research center for the Nyae Nyae Pangolin Project. This has included close work with and support for the local San communities as they work together to ensure a sustainable future for pangolins, the world’s most heavily trafficked mammal. You can follow along with Schrauger and the team @pangolincrf on Instagram and Facebook. Read more