Stories from the Field

Luckily for NatureBridge, our mission — to connect young people to the wonder and science of the natural world, igniting self-discovery and inspiring stewardship of our planet — was already close to board chair Ian Yolles' heart. Before overseeing marketing and brand building for companies like Patagonia and Nike, Ian began his career as a wilderness instructor for Outward Bound in Canada, eventually becoming Executive Director of the outdoor education nonprofit. He had intimate knowledge of the transformative power of nature, and he could see that NatureBridge was expertly tapping into that power to further environmental science and inspire awe.

Welcome to the third park featured in our Sense of Place series: Yosemite National Park, where NatureBridge began 50 years ago. As the birthplace of the national park idea, Yosemite National Park has inspired generations of people from around the world to become stewards of the natural world. With gushing waterfalls, towering mountain peaks, alpine lakes, and giant sequoia groves and massive glacially carved granite domes, Yosemite is one of the most beautiful and unique parks in the country - as well as an epic living classroom!

In his capacity as a coastal hazards specialist at University of Washington’s Washington Sea Grant, Ian Miller spends his time communicating the dangers of climate change to the people who are directly affected by them. A former NatureBridge educator and director of education at our Olympic campus, Ian understands that scientists get a bad rap when it comes to communicating to non-scientists. Read this entry in our 50 Stories series to see how he uses educational strategies he learned at NatureBridge to remove those barriers and translate science in a way that creates understanding and spurs action.