My friend Chad, who works for the TennGreen Land Conservancy, told me about the Hike-a-Thon. I’m participating because I love Chad, nature, hiking, and protecting one of our most precious resources—the Earth. Growing up in north-central Iowa, my dad instilled in me a deep appreciation for conservation. He used to take me to areas where prairieland was being restored along waterways, creating buffers for nearby farmland. My goal in this Hike-a-Thon is to raise awareness for land conservation and share some of the amazing hiking spots I’ve discovered in the Pacific Northwest, my new home
