The Wandering Naturalist Podcast Wins National Award

The Wandering Naturalist podcast, produced by Three Rivers Park District, has been honored with a Media Award from the National Association for Interpretation. The podcast took second place in the Digital Media category. The National Association for Interpretation is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the profession of science and heritage interpretation. Members include professionals who work at parks, museums, nature centers, zoos, botanical gardens, aquariums, historical and cultural sites, commercial tour companies, and theme parks.

The Wandering Naturalist is hosted by Wildlife Biologist Angela Grill and Interpretive Naturalist Brandon Baker. Each month they invite listeners to wander with them from park to park and discuss the stories of the past, the nature in our present, and how these have shaped our parks.

“Our hope with The Wandering Naturalist is to share the stories of the natural world around us and the history of the people who came before us. Stories are powerful things that connect us to each other and to our environment; invoking deep emotions, inspiring compassion, and creating connections,” said host Brandon Baker. “We hope these stories will help people meet Three Rivers Park District on its mission to promote environmental stewardship through recreation and education in a natural resources based park system.”

“It has been incredible how much more depth and appreciation I have acquired for our natural world through working on this podcast,” said host Angela Grill. “The stories revealed through our guests and conversations allow for new perspectives. Connecting history, culture, and nature together with our surrounding communities through this podcast have been instrumental in re-sparking my own curiosity. To be acknowledged for this work and effort by receiving a national award is a huge compliment that is shared with our contributing guests and coworkers.”

The Wandering Naturalist is available wherever you download podcasts or on our website.