Every superhero has an origin story, and the superhero staff and interns at Monk Gardens are no different!

Read on to learn what were the influences and experiences that made our Events and Education Manager, Elise Schuler, pursue a career in a nature-based field!

“Growing up, all of my family’s vacations were camping trips, so our special time together was outdoors playing in nature. I was a kid who always had a rock and leaf collection, and even now still have a bowl full of “special” rocks that I constantly add to. My mom has had a vegetable garden my whole life. She has an undeniable green thumb, and our garden was always overflowing. As a kid, I’d help harvest the tomatoes and cucumbers, eating entire cucumbers for snacks, and most of the cherry tomatoes never even made it into the house because we ate them as we picked. Campgrounds, our backyard, and nearby nature in our neighborhood is where I learned to love plants, bugs, and animals and sparked in me the love for the environment that has brought me where I am today in my career :)”