Hello everyone! My name is Ava Stapleton and I’m a senior at Georgia State University, studying French with a concentration in International Business and a minor in English as well as another minor in Journalism. I first became interested in controlling my ecological footprint when I went vegetarian at the age of 11. To be frank, I mostly only did that at first because my big sister was too, but the ethical/environmental side of it has remained my reason for maintaining those habits for so long and for later becoming vegan a little over 6 years ago. In those years, I’ve learned a great deal about the way our society views the natural world and what kind of double standards and willful ignorance come along with that view. Although this detail has undoubtedly brought me plenty of important insights on the subject of environmentalism, I was still unaware before this class of just how much I had left to learn (and unlearn). My classmates’ insights have been very helpful to me in terms of navigating the ways I can think differently and change my community throughout my service in this class and on, hopefully making more habitual changes in my everyday life.

My community partner, Blue Heron Nature Preserve, sits on 30 acres of land in North Buckhead, including a 3-mile trail that features a dense forest, meadows, and a mossy pond. The trail is also adjacent to the 16-mile-long Nancy Creek, so there is certainly no shortage of biodiversity there. Blue Heron Nature Preserve’s mission is to provide their fellow Atlanta inhabitants with a chance to immerse themselves in an environment that gives them a break from the city but also to be convenient enough to not have to leave the city. The preserve features artwork inspired by the outdoors and aims to help spread environmental access and education throughout our community. I look forward to learning what I can about the plants and animals specific to our North Georgia ecosystem and what kind of work I can do to help not just this community, but beyond it as well. Also, I heard the parking is free.