14 Jul A Phenomenal Woman

Hi everyone! It’s Kaylie again! I have much to share with you about my time at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. And I will dive into that in due time. First, I want to introduce our park’s biologist, Allyson Read! She graciously shed some light on her path to securing a permanent position with the National Park Service. Now, I want to share that knowledge with you!

In her own words, Ms. Read stated,
“My path to this position began many years ago. I always enjoyed being in nature and as my kids grew, I enjoyed teaching them about nature. When they were in elementary school, I volunteered working with the teachers and students to create a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat. Then I did the same at their middle school.”

She also mentioned volunteering for the park and joining our friend’s group on their project, the Chattahoochee River Conservancy. Ms. Read eventually attended the University of Georgia for her master’s in Wildlife Ecology and Management. She told me that this experience was a game changer because she could finally apply for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area biology technician position! They could see the brilliance and expertise she would bring to the team, so she was hired!
She said:
“I’ve now been at the park for 15 years as and loving every minute! As biologist I do a variety of things such as plant surveys, research projects, protect the river, lands, and wildlife, as well as manage the utility lines within the park to prevent resource damage. It keeps me very busy!”

In her own words, Ms. Read stated,
“My path to this position began many years ago. I always enjoyed being in nature and as my kids grew, I enjoyed teaching them about nature. When they were in elementary school, I volunteered working with the teachers and students to create a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat. Then I did the same at their middle school.”
She also mentioned volunteering for the park and joining our friend’s group on their project, the Chattahoochee River Conservancy. Ms. Read eventually attended the University of Georgia for her master’s in Wildlife Ecology and Management. She told me that this experience was a game changer because she could finally apply for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area biology technician position! They could see the brilliance and expertise she would bring to the team, so she was hired!
The closing remarks from Ms. Read inspired me and made me hopeful for the future.

She said:

“I’ve now been at the park for 15 years as and loving every minute! As biologist I do a variety of things such as plant surveys, research projects, protect the river, lands, and wildlife, as well as manage the utility lines within the park to prevent resource damage. It keeps me very busy!”
Meeting her really helped me put my dreams and aspirations in order and aided me in discovering how I should start my own journey. She even invited me and other interns on field days and field trips with her, but I’ll get into that in my next post. Let the anticipation begin!

The closing remarks from Ms. Read inspired me and made me hopeful for the future.

Until Next Time Chickadees!

-Fish & Feathers Intern

Kaylie S. Yale’