Lessons in nature.
There is no such thing as an “average day” for EBMUD’s Senior Ranger, Virginia. In her 30 years with the District she has worked hard to protect and educate the public about
Virginia educates the public about EBMUD’s 28,000 acres of East Bay watershed land.
Virginia currently manages EBMUD’s Outdoor Education program where she teaches students from kindergarten through high school about the importance of environmental protection and stewardship. She takes students on hikes through EBMUD’s watershed lands, helps them plant buckeye, willows and acorns, and works with them on restoring trails and creeks. She tailors each lesson by grade level and allows students the opportunity to explore and discover on their own.
“I don’t want their experience to be too regimented,” says Virginia, “I want the kids to get outside, play in the mud, get dirty and have fun.”
Find out more about EBMUD’s Outdoor Education Program.
Virginia also runs the District’s volunteer program for adult volunteers who partner with EBMUD to restore watershed lands by picking up trash which can hurt animals and birds if eaten, and by giving native plants a boost by cutting back brush and pulling weeds and invasive plants.
Virginia loves that her job positively affects the local environment.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to work on projects that I feel are important. For me that is environmental education and restoration.”