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 Marcia
is a self-taught naturalist who looks at herself more as a teacher
than a writer. This audio offers insight into Marcia’s
background and thoughts on why learning about nature is never
boring. |
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Marcia’s
writing conveys more to her readers than her daily accounts
of life on the hollow. She is able to turn observations from
one place within one season into our own personal connection
with the natural world. Marcia reads excerpts from her Game
Commission column to the students from Alan’s Bench while
everyone sat mesmerized on “first field” listening
and watching the hawks circling overhead. |
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Bruce
purposely doesn’t go for walks with Marcia because he
knows it is better for her to go by herself; allowing her the
precious solo time she needs for observing and documenting.
Every few weeks he will join her but generally she ventures
out on her own for several hours each day hiking, identifying,
observing, and participating in her corner of the natural world.
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Bruce
proudly admits that everything he knows about the woods he has
learned from Marcia and it’s her love of the woods that
drives his management of the property. I don’t reach the
hundreds of thousands people that Marcia reaches through her
writing but I still feel good about who I’m able to reach. |
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For
the past few years, Marcia has teamed up with Ian Marshall (a
professor at Penn State Altoona) to share with his students
some of her observations from the field. As a writer, it’s
a pretty lonely life so Marcia finds leading nature walks and
discussions after slide shows is a different way of reaching
people. He offers thoughts on Marcia’s knowledge and naturalist
lessons but most importantly the obvious passion she has for
this piece of land. |
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As
a writer, Marcia said it’s a pretty lonely life but she
finds leading nature walks and slide shows is a different way
of reaching people. My visit coincided with previous arrangements
the Bonta’s made to spend a few hours hiking and sharing
observations with Altoona College students. Their professor
talks about how the students are impacted by Marcia’s
partnership with the program. |
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Marcia
and Bruce share their favorite places on Plummers Hollow. This
may seem easy but it is much more difficult than one would expect. |
