Welcome!
About Naturedigger
Learn, Participate, Conserve has been the foundation of Naturedigger since I started this journey over fourteen years ago.
I founded Naturedigger to provide free, factual, and up-to-date monarch butterfly education and support. I also highlight opportunities to participate in community science (sometimes called citizen science) data collection, because I know hands-on involvement leads to more engaged nature enthusiasts and ultimately, conservationists.
Educators, students, homeschoolers, and nature centers are welcome to request photos of monarchs in all life cycle stages (or milkweed images) by filling out a contact form on the Use of Images page and sending a request. If you don't see what you're looking for, please ask! I may have what you need in my archive.
My goal is simple: to support a growing community of informed naturalists and community scientists working together to conserve our natural world and spread the word.
Founder Bio
I’m an environmental scientist, Certified California Naturalist, and avid birder with 30 years of experience working in both the private and public sectors. My work has included wetland delineation, replication, and monitoring; assessments of wetland functions and values; preparation of Environmental Impact Statements; and obtaining permits for endangered species relocations.
Community science has always been central to my work. I promote these programs because I’ve been deeply involved in them myself and understand the importance of public participation in conservation. I’ve taken part in annual bird counts for more than 20 years, tracked California condors at Pinnacles National Park, and spent many years teaching community members to identify, monitor, and collect data on aquatic invasive species.
Since 2014, my primary focus has been monarch butterfly and milkweed education, conservation, and community involvement. For the past several years, I’ve been writing A Guide to Monarch Butterflies, a comprehensive guide to monarchs in eastern and western North America. I currently count overwintering monarchs alongside a team of biologists and community scientists at Lighthouse Field State Beach in Santa Cruz.
