The Naturalist

Liz has over 30 years of experience as a naturalist, educator, wildlife biologist, photographer, and writer. She received her M.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology from the University of Florida in 1995 and her B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Cornell University in 1987. She is trained in CPR and is certified by The National Registry as a Wilderness First Responder. Since her beginnings as a research scientist at Cornell University, Liz has conducted research on and contributed to the study of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and plants in the Northeast, West, Southeast, and Midwest United States, as well as in Belize.

Liz’s interest in and study of the natural world has been a lifelong pursuit and joy. In fact, her first word as a child was “bird.” She has gained extensive outdoor experience while hiking, backpacking, canoeing, camping, and photographing wildlife in their natural habitats across the United States, in the US Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico, and Central America.

Liz encourages each of us to live our dreams and to become more aware of the natural world and what it has to offer us, as well as what we can do for it in return. Liz is tuned in to nature and tuned in to the personal needs and aspirations of her customers. She wants all of us to seek new experiences and even challenge ourselves now and then. Liz wants you to Just Get Outdoors! It is her desire to help you do just that.

As the founder and operator of Just Get Outdoors, Liz leads our guided interpretive hikes, Naturalist Adventure Outings in the Smokies, backpacking trips and Naturalist Adventure Tours and conducts our environmental education programs for youths, adults, and fellow educators. She encourages awareness, understanding, enjoyment, and stewardship of our natural world.

In designing customized trips, naturalist rambles, and education programs, Liz has learned to pay close attention to the personal needs and wishes of her clientele, making her trips a special and treasured experience. She is personable, loves every outing, and delights in meeting people from all walks of life.

Liz is a co-author of the newly published field guide to "Butterflies and Moths of the Smokies"; an author of the guidebook, "Paddling Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge"; a contributing writer, photographer and consultant for McGraw-Hill Science Textbooks; and she has written instructional publications for teachers and 4-H leaders. Her photographs have been published in a variety of magazines such as: Outside, National Parks, Smokies Life, Smoky Mountain Living, Blue Ridge Country and Florida Wildlife; in local and regional newspapers; and in books such as the Waterfalls of the Smokies, Audubon Field Guide to Florida, McGraw-Hill Science Textbooks, Paddling Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, and Lerner books on birds and birdwatching. She also donates her time and her photographs to help raise funds for conservation programs and environmental organizations.