[August 19, 2011] County conservation board welcomes a new naturalist Tweet Aug 19, 2011 (Newton Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Imagine a super casual work environment where you get to dream up new and exciting ways to teach a community about conservation and preservation, a place where every day is different and you're out interacting with nature instead of stuck behind a desk or in a stuffy cubicle. As the Jasper County Conservation Board's newest naturalist, that's exactly what Chrissy Rea boasts as her daily job activities. "For me, it's a good marriage between the things I love -- nature and people," Rea said. Rea, a Des Moines native who commutes but plans to move to Newton in the fall, is a recent graduate of Iowa State University where she majored in forestry with an emphasis on interpretation. Before landing the naturalist position with the JCCB, Rea worked as a biology intern at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, later earning a promotion in visitor services. "I have always been passionate about conservation and the role of education in that process, and it was at Neal Smith that I gained experience as an interpreter and environmental educator," Rea wrote in a "Meet the New Naturalist" piece for the JCCB. Although she's only been on the job for little more than a week, Rea has been working hard on developing new programs to educate the community on the importance of nature preservation and conservation. A few items on her to-do list include looking into an after-school program for Newton children and teens; facilitating educational art projects, such as murals or nature-themed picnic table drawings at Ashton Wildwood Park and Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve; even putting in a community garden. "We want to put in a community garden -- I have big ideas about that," Rea said, noting the possibility of a pilot program across the street from the JCCB office "if we can get it approved." The start of school also is an exciting time for Rea because she gets the chance for hands-on experience with area students. She loves working with preschoolers, particularly because she has a 3-year-old son, Atlas, with whom she can run through her presentation materials. "If he can stay focused, then I know I have a winner," Rea said. At the end of the day, Rea's love for all things nature continues even at home, which she shares with her puggle, Monster; cat, Jesse; and two albino gerbils named Harry and Larry. For more information on the JCCB, visit www.co.jasper.ia.us/conservation/. Upcoming events include "The Mystery of Monarchs" on Sept. 6, the seventh annual "Off the Beaten Path" 6K trail race and 3K fun run on Sept. 17 and the seventh annual Halloween Hike on Oct. 28. To see more of the Newton Daily News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newtondailynews.com/. Copyright (c) 2011, Newton Daily News, Iowa Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]