The favorite accusation of a district ranger I seem to particularly annoy is that I somehow have "a hidden. agenda". . . So in a departure from the technical I proffer to you this conservationist's confession:

My passion for the living world around me blossomed long ago - as a child growing up in the austere beauty of the Mojave Desert and at the feet of my beloved Sierra Nevada Mountains. How I loved the ever-changing sunsets, the violent thunderstorms of summer, the silver storm clouds of winter. I loved the birds that waxed and waned with the seasons, scurrying residents seen by moonlight, lizards dashing about under summer sun. I gathered rocks, a dried bird cage bush, fossils, a coyote's skull and packrat's teeth on desert forays. Shoving most of my child's things into shopping bags in a closet, I kept my treasures displayed on my bookshelves and windowsills. I taped signs to my door announcing "Natural History Museum" and charged 5 cents admission.

As a teen I roamed for miles over the desert below the canyons and foothills of the Sierras on horseback. I knew where badgers lived and ravens nested. I followed the s-curves of sidewinder's tracks, discovered the dens of Desert Tortoises. While other students were cruising Main Street, I recorded thousands of pages of observations of resident and migratory birds and mammals - simply for the joy of learning more about the captivating world of wildlife. And yet, this isn't to say that the mainstream of life went one way and I another - oblivious.

I went to college and studied biology, range science, and education. I married and had children. I divorced a violent man and traded my Sierra granitics for southeastern Idaho's volcanics. I went back to school to fulfill a second childhood dream and became a nurse - only to lose the dream to Multiple Sclerosis. But the carefully woven strands of the land and plants and animals I love so dearly have always held together whenever everything else came apart. Turning my passion for the outdoor world into a "career," I have been able to provide services to the BLM and Forest Service. I became a volunteer rehabilitator for Idaho's Department of Fish and Game - an opportunity to utilize extensive medical training for the benefit of injured wildlife. In short - I have always been a conservationist... I am still a conservationist. . and I will always be a conservationist. I don't think that a love and passion for our living world constitutes a hidden agenda. I have come to realize that what my ranger critic (or other environmentally underprivileged folks) really means is simply that they don't agree with a conservationist/preservationist point of view and they are uncomfortable in the presence of another's commitment.

It was this passion for wildlife and the search for assistance with a number of forest conservation issues that resulted in my acquaintance with Idaho Watersheds Project Executive Director Jon Marvel and other delightful; hard-working members of Idaho Watersheds Project. And what wonderful opportunities that chance meeting has brought. Thank you, Jon, and a thank you to everyone at IWP, for allowing me to become a part of Idaho Watersheds Project and to assist with the mission, a chance to expand and continue a lifelong passion. My New Year's Resolution: I promise to work even harder to bring the plight of our native plants and animals to the awareness of the American public and to do my part to protect and preserve the watershed, fisheries, and wildlife values of Idaho and our neighboring west!