Recently, I had dinner with a remarkable park ranger whose career has spanned many roles and agencies. She has worked across the country with the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, and Orange County Parks. Along the way, she has served as an interpretive ranger, participated in search-and-rescue teams, and taught environmental education.

We first worked together in 2008, but our connection began 12 years earlier, when she was a sixth grader at Outdoor Science School. For her, it was a weeklong mountain adventure; for me, it was the start of my career teaching and working outdoors at age 21. She was not in my cabin, but she remembered me as the “one who played the guitar”. When she began her own career in environmental education in 2008, she brought me a journal her teacher had assigned during that week at Outdoor Science School. Inside were photocopied photos of her and her classmates on the trails, journal entries about everything from wildlife observations to the dining hall food, and even rocks from a geology hike still taped to one of the pages. And yes, there was also a photo of 21-year-old me playing the guitar.

What a treasure. I still keep the journal in my office as a memento of a career that began more than 30 years ago and, more importantly, as a reminder of the lasting impact of environmental education and the power of time spent outdoors to shape and inspire people.

As The Nature Reserve celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, I find myself reflecting on the lasting impact two decades of bird walks, nature hikes, astronomy nights, and summer camps have had on visitors of all ages.

Research from the Children & Nature Network shows that early experiences in nature can shape a person for life. Time outdoors in early childhood can strengthen self-regulation, language development, and social skills, while also fostering environmental responsibility later on. University of Michigan studies have found that children begin to understand the concept of nature around age seven and continue developing emotional connections to it through about age thirteen. The benefits are not limited to children: studies from the Institute of Health have found that adults who spend time in nature are more willing to support environmental conservation.

Those of us who work at The Nature Reserve have seen that impact firsthand. We have watched 3-year-olds begin in our “Knee-High Naturalist” programs and later return as teen volunteers. We meet college students at community events who still remember their second-grade field trip and meeting Rosy, our rosy boa, for the first time. High school students in our Environmental Science Career Program go on to pursue careers in conservation biology. Adults who take an introductory Naturalist class continue on to become Certified California Naturalists. And recently retired visitors discover birdwatching, then become Nature Reserve volunteers.

As I reflect on the past 20 years and, admittedly, grow a little sentimental, I am even more excited about what the next 20 years may bring. I watch toddlers at our Mud Kitchen Morning events—some barely able to walk—as they dig in the mud, turn over rocks, and chase lizards across fallen logs. I wonder what they will discover in nature and how those experiences will shape the way they see and engage with the natural world. Will any of them become park rangers? Will they hold on to their curiosity? Will they one day take their own children outdoors to explore and discover? I certainly hope so.

If you would like to celebrate our 20th anniversary with us, there are many ways to join in. Through October 17th, you can take part in our 20 Year Connection Challenge, choosing your own adventure and earning points by attending events, completing a scavenger hunt, hiking miles at The Nature Reserve, volunteering, donating, or engaging with us on social media. Participants who complete the challenge will win Nature Reserve gear, and everyone who joins is invited to our 20th Anniversary Party on October 24th. Visit the Community Programs page on our website to learn more and get started.