How To Be a Birder

Bozeman, MT - Hope Lutheran Church

Ashley Martens

Since hand-feeding chickadees with her grandparents as a child, Ashley has sought out intimate relationships with nature through scientific inquiry and mindful nature connection. After meandering her way through studying the life sciences in her young adulthood, she finally settled on a B.S. in biology, an M.S. in environmental science and certifications in teaching yoga, dance and meditation. She has studied with leading researchers at various universities and renowned teachers from the Wilderness Awareness School through the Art of Mentoring. Becoming a naturalist takes time and attention - from hunting for arrowheads in the gullies of high-desert Wyoming as a child to surveying woodpeckers in the backwoods of north Idaho, to researching seabirds on a remote wildlife refuge island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca to reintroducing Mountain Quail in eastern Washington, Ashley weaves all her experiences into her work. She values lifelong learning and community building, which shows in her teaching and facilitation. Her approach empowers your learning journey by guiding you to learn from nature rather than simply about it.

Ashley is the lead educator for Sacajawea Audubon Society's Educational Programming.

For information about refunds, cancellations, minimum enrollments and more, see the Course Administration and Procedures page.