WildCare, a Bay Area leader in wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education, has recognized All Hands Ecology Director of Education Gwen Heistand as an environmental educator of the highest caliber.

Este premio, que lleva el nombre de Elizabeth Terwilliger (conocida cariñosamente como Mrs. T), naturalista y educadora de renombre nacional, honra anualmente a un educador que 

• Participa activamente en enseñar al público a apreciar y proteger el entorno natural 
• Ha marcado una diferencia significativa y ha tenido un impacto real en el Área de la Bahía 
• Inspira a niños y adultos a amar la naturaleza haciendo que su estudio sea interesante, divertido y emocionante. 
• Demuestra su compromiso con una actuación responsable en favor del medio ambiente y de un mundo sostenible 
• Muestra un interés y una determinación constantes tanto en la duración como en la variedad de sus actividades medioambientales. 
• Lidera con nuevas ideas y métodos la educación medioambiental.

An addition to her role as Director of Education, Gwen has served as the Preserve Biologist at Martin Griffin Preserve since joining All Hands Ecology in 2002.

WildCare recibió casi 50 cartas de apoyo a Gwen de miembros de la comunidad educativa medioambiental.

"Me siento increíblemente honrada de estar en compañía de muchos de mis mentores y profesores, dijo Gwen. "Aunque nunca conocí personalmente a la señora T, la gente a la que enseño 'le da la mano a Hazel' y 'hace una V' con sus brazos porque su legado vive en el léxico de la educación en historia natural".

In addition to her role as Director of Education, Gwen has served as the Preserve Biologist at Martin Griffin Preserve since joining All Hands Ecology in 2002.

“We have been so fortunate to have Gwen at the helm of All Hands Ecology’s education programs,” says John Petersen, All Hands Ecology executive director. “Her vision, creativity, innovation and leadership have proved inspirational to hundreds of volunteers and others touched by her knowledge and passion for learning over the past 15 years. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor than Gwen.” 

Gwen holds a master’s degree in environmental science & management/applied ecology from UC Santa Barbara. Her graduate work focused on assessing cumulative impacts of land use on coastal wetland watersheds. Gwen has taught field and lab classes for both UC Santa Barbara and the College of Marin in limnology, invertebrate zoology, parasitology, mammalogy, introductory biology and marine biology. She was curator for the invertebrate collection at UCSB’s Museum of Ecology and Systematics. Gwen teaches classes to volunteers in all aspects of natural history and works with the All Hands Ecology science staff on research and resource management programs specific to the Martin Griffin Preserve as well as the larger family of All Hands Ecology preserves. Gwen sits on the Bolinas Lagoon Technical Advisory Committee and the Sanctuary Advisory Council for the Gulf of the Farallones.

Gwen, en la foto de arriba, recibió una calurosa bienvenida al círculo de ganadores de manos del Dr. Marty Griffin, primer galardonado con el Premio Medioambiental Terwilliger en 2001.