North Olympic Land Trust is excited to introduce the organization’s new Land Manager Courtney Bornsworth, and share with you why she loves where she lives.
“Growing up in Metro Detroit, I was surrounded by a sprawling urban landscape with natural areas few and far between. My mother always had a small vegetable garden and elaborate landscapes surrounding our very urban home, and our yearly family vacation was typically a camping trip to some of the more rural and forested areas found in Northern Michigan. Having this exposure to urban gardening and trips “Up North” are really where my passion for nature and conservation natural areas began.
After graduating from Michigan State University with a bachelor of science in zoology, I moved across the country to Ketchikan, Alaska for a short period of time, which eventually led me to the great state of Washington. I spent time in larger cities such as Seattle, Bellingham, and Olympia, until I landed a job working at Olympic National Park on the Elwha River restoration crew. I spent three years working as a biological technician where my main job was to monitor the long-term vegetation plots to assess the changes in the landscape over time.
My time with the National Park Service came and went, but I knew this area is where I would call home. There are so many things about the North Olympic Peninsula that I love, from the cascading Olympic Mountains to the calming presence of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but my favorite thing above all is how dynamic this area is. Having the ability to be in the vast open areas of farmland with the sun shining down on you and one hour later be immersed in a wet, foggy temperate rainforest surrounded by towering giants of old-growth Sitka spruce is truly remarkable.
We are very fortunate to have access to this unique landscape that is the North Olympic Peninsula. This, among other reasons, is what excited me most about being the land manager with the Land Trust. By continuing to protect and conserve natural areas that promote farms, fish and forests within our landscape, the opportunities for our community members to have natural areas nearby to visit and enjoy will increase. It is very important to me to foster these areas for the benefit of our ecosystems, natural resources and communities for generations to come.
Being a new mom, I cannot wait to show my little one all that this wonderful place has to offer. Having the opportunity to show him where our vegetables come from, where the salmon spawn, where Bald Eagles make their nests and wildlife roam is why I love where I live.”