New Face in the Volunteer Office

Hello!  My name is Ian Harvey and I am a Centennial Volunteer Ambassador through the Student Conservation Association (SCA) and the National Park Service for this upcoming year, and you’ll hopefully be seeing a lot of me!

Growing up in central Pennsylvania, I have always had a strong interest in the outdoors.  This ranges from sitting under my great-grandmother’s blue spruce, listening to the birds singing above in her backyard when I was only a few years old, to pursuing a degree in Conservation Ecology from California University of Pennsylvania.  While a student at CalU, I was involved in many volunteer projects and eventually became the President of their branch of Habitat for Humanity.

Upon graduation, I began teaching outdoor education all over the north east, including Yellow Springs, OH, Freedom, NH, Silver Bay, NY, Charlton, MA, Andover, CT, and many other locations.  I have found that by working with thousands of students over the past few years that there is a strong interest in the outdoors in many people, and an even stronger urge to want to do something to help.  That is where I am today.

As the SCA’s Centennial Volunteer Ambassador, I will be working closely with the volunteers, communities, and surrounding areas of Mt. Rainier National Park to encourage people of all backgrounds, ages, and experiences to get out and enjoy the parks through hands-on service.  I believe that it is through these types of projects that people are able to form those much more personal connections to the lands around them and pass those feelings on to future generations!

I would love to hear from you, the volunteers, about your personal connections to the park, why you volunteer, and even your favorite memories at Mt. Rainier.  I can be reached via e-mail at ian_harvey@partner.nps.gov and can’t wait to hear from you and work with you out in the field soon!