David Evans Email & Phone Number

I am a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a bachelors degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science with a concentration in Fish and Wildlife conservation. I graduated with the highest undergraduate honors, the Bronze Tablet.I have hands on experience in the restoration of forest, woodland, and prairie ecosystems as first an intern for the US Forest Service at the Midewin National Tallgrass prairie, and then from being a restoration technician with the Illinois Natural History Survey. These positions helped fine-tune my flora and fauna identification skills, and provided myself with critical experience in chemically, physically, and mechanically dealing with non-native and invasive plant species.Then I discovered a new passion within environmental science, environmental education. At the Champaign County Forest Preserve District I was an Interpretive Naturalist and taught natural, cultural, and historic programs to school children and the public. The topic and content of the programs varied depending on the needs of the crowd. I was also responsible for the care of the Preserve's living educational animal collection, along with the Preserver's summer youth volunteer program (Counselor-in Training). Currently, I am continuing my passion for environmental education as the Plant Science Interpretation Supervisor with the Missouri Botanical Garden. My work at the Missouri Botanical Garden allows me to engage visitors of all ages and backgrounds. When not engaging the visitors of the Garden, program development, program revitalization, and digital engagement are at the forefront of my work. Being able to bring new programs to life and sharing them to the visitors of the Botanical Garden in person or through the digital space is a wonderful experience. The Missouri Botanical Garden is also home to the historic home of Garden founder, Henry Shaw. I have been able to research artifacts found throughout the house. The research that I do helps bring to light often forgotten histories, and share with Garden volunteers and the public the importance of these items and how they have helped shaped the world today. In my role as Plant Science Interpretation Supervisor I also work closely with horticultural staff in the development of new interpretive signage throughout the garden and on planting displays within the Garden's Children's Garden. I also head up one of the Garden's Teen Network programs, the S.A.G.E. program, which provides teenagers the ability to learn and provide interpretive programming to Garden patrons.

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  University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign

  Gpa: 3.97