“The redwood forest is where I feel most at home and where my heart is,” says Zierten. Prior to joining Save the Redwoods League in 2013, she spent two decades introducing young people to nature while working at environmental education non-profits, as well as the National Park Service and the UC Cooperative Extension. As the senior manager of education and interpretation for Save the Redwoods, Zierten develops curricula, as well as educational and interpretation materials about the redwoods for the public.
“Exposing people to nature when they are young is a great way to inspire a sense of awe and wonder for our redwood forests,” says Zierten. Her education programming for students of all ages is in classrooms and redwood parks, as both are important ways to integrate environmental education into schools. These programs serve communities across the redwood range and include opportunities for students to learn about the redwoods and fire, conservation, climate change, and carbon sequestration. Hands-on experiences, including field trips to redwood parks, are also invaluable for cultivating the next generation of redwood stewards.
Zierten’s love of education extends to adults as well. She regularly gives presentations and leads interpretive hikes to share the latest redwood research with members of the public. She unites redwood interpreters, naturalists and educators who work in redwood parks so together they can learn from and work with each other.
Her work with park staff enhances the visitor experience through inclusive and inspiring messages. Whether she is developing new interpretive signage or training park naturalists, Zierten ensures the public leaves a redwood park more knowledgeable about redwood conservation than when they arrived.
“It’s incredibly moving to watch young people become engaged with the redwoods, to see them explore the connections between critical natural systems. And I find that by teaching the kids, they end up passing the message along to their parents.”
