There are some species of animals that hold a special place in my heart. I know that as an environmentalist I’m not supposed to pick favorites, but some species just have that certain something that pulls on my heart strings. Enter the bog turtle, whose name is not especially fancy, but who could definitely use a little help from us humans.
W. Brooks Paternotte took the helm of Irvine Nature Center as executive director in July 2013 and immediately began building on the strong 35-year foundation. Brooks is a Baltimore native who was a teacher, coach, advisor, dean and Head of the Middle School during his 13 years at Boys’ Latin School in Baltimore. He is also an instructor and ambassador of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and is a Leave No Trace Master, as well as an avid outdoorsman and a features writer for FlyLife Magazine.