Speaker: Amy Renfranz

Topic: From Mountains to Sea: An Adventure in Plant Communities

Join naturalist Amy Renfranz as she makes parallels between the plant communities on the coast and in the mountains of North Carolina. Her talk will leave you with a bucket list of places to visit and a few ideas for ways to incorporate natural ecology into your own backyard!

About the speaker: Amy Renfranz lives for exploring and investigating the world around her – and sharing those experiences with others.

Amy began in environmental education on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2008. In 2011, she was awarded the National Park Service at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s “Ranger of the Year” award for her work in creating new programming for youth and adults. She is a NC Certified Environmental Educator and a Certified Naturalist through the Yellowstone Institute. She has also worked at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, Lees-McRae College, the Yellowstone Association Institute, and New Hanover Soil & Water Conservation District. For nearly ten years, she wrote an award-winning, weekly newspaper column called “Dear Naturalist.” In 2022, she began pursuing a full-time career in native plant landscaping.

Amy is a graduate of Appalachian State University and North Carolina State University, where she obtained a Master’s Degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management. She currently serves on the board of Keep New Hanover Beautiful and the Environmental Educators of North Carolina. She volunteers as a Creek Watcher for Cape Fear River Watch, and facilitates litter cleanups in her neighborhood.

Note: Pre-registration not required. In-person only. Coffee and pancakes at 8am, presentation begins at 9am. The recording will be available online within the next couple of weeks.