Kate Marianchild has trained herself as an amateur naturalist watching wildlife, leading nature walks, and giving slide presentations. Here she shares the delight that comes from walking slowly or sitting quietly in nature, including how we might go about discovering our local eco-system. She is a “Citizen Scientist” who shares the delight that comes from walking slowly or sitting quietly in nature. She is the author of:Secrets of The Oak Woodlands: Plants & Animals Among California’s Oaks (Heyday 2014) Interview Date: 2/23/2017 Tags: Kate Marianchild, acorn woodpeckers, western scrub jay, corvids, titmouse, Oak Woodlands, newts, manzanita, keystone species, California ground squirrels, wasps, ants, poison oak, woodrat, Christmas bird count, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Personal Transformation