| Friends of WNC NC

What nature photographer doesn’t nurse the dream of being a National Geographic photographer? For most of us who shoot wildlife and nature, that level of professionalism is an inspiration, but rarely an achievable standard. For Kevin FitzPatrick, it became a reality.

Kevin FitzPatrick has been a member of the Friends of the Nature Center board for six years and a supporter of wildlife conservation for far longer. His dedication to the Nature Center has included not only his support on the board, but his contributions to the outreach media of the Friends. Media – photography in particular – is Kevin’s field of expertise, and he shot many of the beautiful portraits of our animals you have seen. As a conservation photographer, Kevin combines love of the visual arts with a passion for the natural world into a powerful tool of communication.

Kevin’s opportunity to work with National Geographic came through a series of twenty-four hour inventories of species in National Parks called BioBlitzes. National Geographic is documenting some of these BioBlitzes, and Kevin had the opportunity to attend and photograph one in Tuscan, Arizona where he made connections with National Geographic. “I hope to work with them on each of the next five BioBlitzes that National Geographic will be doing in the next five years,” says Kevin. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for me after forty years to be able to work with an organization like National Geographic.”

Photography is a cord that extends throughout Kevin’s life. “In 1972, I had a chance to go to Ireland where my family is from. I really wanted to document Ireland, but didn’t have a camera at the time. I finally got a hold of one, and that was my first attempt – spending two or three months in Ireland, photographing.” It was his wife who introduced him to photographing wild things. “She loved wildflowers, and I had the camera, so we started photographing wildflowers. It was the first thing I did in terms of nature photography.”

Conservation became a focus of Kevin’s photography when he would return to wild places he loved to photograph, “and they just weren’t there anymore.” Connections with friends who used photography to educate and communicate the need for preservation and conservation encouraged Kevin to steer his own art in the same direction. “Not all nature photographers are conservation photographers,” he says. Conservation photographers “use their pictures to tell the story” of places and species that need help. Organizations such as the League of Conservation Photographers use their art to document areas in danger. They use this footage in public awareness campaigns, and their work has even appeared in the halls of congress. Conservation photography is about more than just the beauty of the natural world; it is intended to call attention to the fragility of it, and how we play a roll in protecting it.

Does Kevin have a favorite animal at the Nature Center? “Yes, I do – the red and gray wolves. Wolves have gotten such a bad break. They’re all wonderful characters in their own right, and beautiful animals. Working with people who know wolves and getting the word out to the general public about wolves and how precious they are as a resource – it’s nice for me to be able to do.”

With a talented eye and a passion for the natural world, Kevin has achieved a life long dream – but he’s done more than that. With each otter portrait, each landscape, each detailed look into the intricacies of the microscopic world, Kevin compels his audience to consider what about our world is worth protecting.

And what nature photographer doesn’t have the same dream?

All photos courtesy Kevin FitzPatrick

Charlie Green

The Friends and the WNC Nature Center are saddened by the loss of Charlie Green. A good friend to humans and reptiles, Charlie made a difference in the lives of thousands of people - and many thousands of animals. Thank you to Charlie for a life spent devoted to what he loved and believed in.

We’ve all seen it—the turtle in the road, determined to reach the other side, crossing slowly and deliberately despite traffic. If you’ve come across this scene, you’ve probably stopped, picked up the turtle, and set him safely on the far side of the road, sending him on his way. For many of us, this is our primary interaction with rescuing reptiles.

For Charlie Green, rescuing, raising, and educating the community about reptiles—especially turtles—was more than a passing opportunity on the freeway. Charlie’s dedication to turtles and other reptiles was a “love affair”—not something he found the time for, but something that was his time.

Charlie Green will always be “The Turtle Man.” Known by thousands of members of the community of Asheville, Charlie was involved in summer camps and special events for children for many years, at the WNC Nature Center and elsewhere. His “infectious passion” has sparked a love and appreciation for all of nature—and especially turtles—in hundreds of young people. “Because of Charlie, my kids and I never see anything the same way again. There was never just a rock. There was always something under the rock,” says Maggie Turnbull, a friend of Charlie’s.

Educating the community about turtles was always been a priority for Charlie, but Charlie’s influence hardly ends there. If his impact on the humans of the area is impressive, his influence on the reptile community is immeasurable. Charlie rehabilitated wild injured turtles, rescued exotic pet reptiles, and was part of breeding programs for critically endangered turtle and tortoise species. It’s was never nine-to-five work, either. Charlie worked from home, if you could call it “his” home—it really belonged to the animals. With hundreds of turtles alone, along with numerous snakes, lizards, and a smattering of amphibians, Charlie’s love of these often misunderstood and under-appreciated creatures seemed limitless. “He would never turn anything away,” says Savannah Brown of the WNC Nature Center. “He would take a thousand turtles if I had a thousand turtles that needed help.”

Spotted Turtle in the Appalachian Station at the WNC Nature Center

One of Charlie’s long lasting influences on the community is the Southern Appalachian Herpotological Society, of which he is a founding member. The Society is dedicated to public education, responsible husbandry, and habitat protection for all reptiles and amphibians. They are focused in Western North Carolina and they meet the last Thursday of every month. Meetings are open to the public as the Society, in the same spirit that Charlie and other founders intended, seeks to teach others to appreciate and value the reptiles and amphibians of the world. Of his efforts to reach a wider audience in the interest of turtles, Charlie said, “Through the education of young people and the community, my hope is to engage enough people in the movement to preserve these fascinating and ancient creatures.”

The WNC Nature is deeply indebted to Charlie and his “infectious passion” for turtles. If you’ve visited us, you’ve probably seen the indoor box turtles and the baby spotted turtles. These turtles came from Charlie and are beneficiaries of his dedication to preserving turtles. The spotted turtles are part of a breeding project for this threatened species. The box turtles are unreleasable rehabilitation patients cared for and repaired by Charlie. Look and see if you can spot fiberglass patches on their shells—Charlie’s handiwork, a lifesaving bit of engineering for turtles with damaged carapaces.

Charlie saved many of the turtles in the outdoor turtle pond as well, and because of his continual involvement with the Nature Center’s reptile rehabilitation and conservation, the Center wanted to recognize him. On November 15, 2011, the turtle pond was dedicated to Charlie Green in a ceremonial unveiling of a bronze box turtle sculpture placed within the enclosure. In attendance were Charlie’s family and friends, a small selection of the thousands of lives the Turtle Man has touched.

“When nature has work to be done, she creates a genius to do it.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.

See the dedication of the turtle pond

Charlie Green's Obituary

Keith Mastin

Over the years, the WNC Nature Center has seen a lot of change. Historically an exotics zoo, complete with Henrietta the Asian elephant, the Nature Center has slowly changed to reflect instead the area in which it’s settled. With new animals coming in all the time, habitats continually being improved and expanded, as well as the influx of volunteers and the changes in staff, the Nature Center can feel like a garden - different in every season. And like in any garden, we have our perennials. One familiar face is Keith Mastin, Education Curator, who first came to work at the WNC Nature Center in January of 2001.

If you’ve ever visited the Nature Center, there’s a good chance you’ve met Keith. The Education Department of the WNC Nature Center is the “hub of activity for covering all different areas,” explains Keith. From assisting with animal care, to working the front desk and reception area, to public relations, the three members of the Education team are a part of nearly every aspect of the WNC Nature Center.

Perhaps you met Keith and Art the barred owl during an Animal Encounter, or perhaps he was there to send you into the park. It’s likely you’ve seen him en route between the animal kitchen and the Education Barn, where several of the education animals are housed. The primary function of the education department is to facilitate education programs for the public, coordinate volunteer opportunities for youth and adults, and encourage public participation in practical environmental programs. If you’ve ever participated in events such as the Elk Exploration, Wolf Howl, and Butterfly Tagging, you’ve been a part of the education department’s outreach.

It’s a lot of work, but that was exactly what Keith was looking for when he came to the Nature Center. Prior to coming to Asheville, Keith worked at the North Carolina Aquarium in the Outer Banks. He was a part of their education team as well, doing shark presentations, touch tank programs, and games with school age children. While the work was fun, Keith was looking for something more challenging and versatile. As the education curator, he’s found it at the Center. With five education animals and more on the way, 200 annual volunteers, and changes happening all the time, there’s rarely a slow day for Keith. He’ll tell you that’s what he likes best about the job - that every day is different, and every day involves a chance to work with people and animals. “Community makes it energizing to come to work - their desires, interests, and passions about wildlife. have such great ideas.”

Keith has always been an ‘animal guy.’ His interest in coming to work at the Nature Center was due in part to field studies with cougars, wolves, bears, and other animals featured in the Center. Keith participated in Earth Watch, a worldwide program designed to partner volunteers with scientists to study an enormous variety of environmental concerns. It was on these two to three week excursions that Keith studied the gray wolf and the cougar. He also spent four years with the Student Conservation Association. These summer-long programs included an observation period for bighorn sheep and other field experiences with wildlife. Here at the Center, the education department overseers the care of five animals—Artemis the barred owl, Junior the screech owl, Balsam the striped skunk, Nibbles the groundhog and Xena the red-tailed hawk. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but Keith thinks Balsam’s story is a great one. Balsam is from the Virginia Living Museum, and was donated to the Nature Center as an ambassador for the mountain region. Balsam lets people get up close and personal to an animal they might be trying to avoid under normal circumstances!

Keith has been audience and participant in a number of big changes for the Nature Center. He saw it switch hands from Buncombe County governance to the City of Asheville. He’s seen the construction of all new habitats for animals like the foxes and raccoons. He’s been here for the arrival of several animal superstars, like Obi Wan the river otter and Pisgah and Mitchell the cougars. Now he’s looking forward to the exciting plans for the future of the WNC Nature Center. Many aspects of a Center like this one are seasonal or ever adapting, but thankfully we have constants like Keith Mastin who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to work every day.

“This,” Keith says with a grin, “is a cool job.”

CRISTINA GARCIA

With so many animals on site, the WNC Nature Center staff are always running from one end of the Center to the other, taking care of dozens of animals as they go. Sometimes they don't even have time to stop and say "Hello"! That's why the Nature Center staff are super excited when they have dedicated volunteers like Cristina Garcia to lend a helping hand.

While new to the WNC Nature Center, Cristina is a trained zoologist and a veteran to working with animals. She's even studied wild jackals in Africa! "We got to see the pups emerging from the den," Cristina said. "It was one of the cutest thing ever!" That experience is part of why Cristina particularly loves the Nature Center's coyotes. "They remind me of the jackals," she said. "They have the same behaviors… and even have the same facial features."

Studying jackals isn't the only animal encounter that Cristina has experienced abroad. Cristina has traveled the world to observe and work with wild animals, though her travels in Africa have perhaps been the most exciting out of them all. In fact she and wildlife photographer Hal Brindley have written a book called ‘Dual Nature’ on the entire experience. The book comes out in September 2011 and covers their fieldwork studying cheetahs, the wildlife they encountered in southern Africa, their photos and the story of their relationship.

After all of these wild experiences, Cristina found herself missing working with animals when she moved to West Asheville last year. "I was going crazy," Cristina explained. "I needed to do something I really loved and I was already a Friend of the WNC Nature Center so worked out."

Since that time, Cristina has spent several hours a week making animal meals, cleaning the night houses and even making the animal's beds by laying down straw and fluffing it up for their comfort. While it may seem small, this kind of work makes a huge difference. "It makes lives better," Cristina explained. "…Cleaning their enclosures is going to make them happier and more comfortable."

The WNC Nature Center staff also benefit from Cristina's enthusiastic labor. " freeing them up so that they can do other stuff," Cristina said. A great example is how, thanks to Cristina's help, Jessica Kripple had more time to work with the new cougar cubs, getting them ready to go on exhibit. To learn more about this process, watch the Flying Felines video on YouTube.

As it turns out Cristina had more to offer Jess and the cougars than just cleaning the predator enclosures. Being born in the wild, the cougar cubs aren't very comfortable around loud noises and for a while one of them was very fearful of people. To help calm the cubs down Cristina--with permission from Jess and the Nature Center Director--practiced a Japanese form of spiritual healing called reiki. " other side of the fence projected healing energy towards the animals," Cristina explained. "They fell asleep each time. Once when Jess came back, she exclaimed, 'Oh my God, you put them to sleep again!'"

Cristina isn't the only one donating her time to helping out Jess and the other Nature Center staff. There are dozens of others who help make animal diets, clean enclosures, improve the site, lead educational programs and even help out in the gift shop. Their dedication can be seen in their work and in their love for the animals. The Friends of the WNC Nature Center thank Cristina and all of her fellow volunteers for their dedication and support.

BARBARA KOLACK VEACH

Dedicated, enthusiastic and full of energy, Barbara Kolack Veach serves in our most important and time consuming volunteer role as President of the Board of Directors for the Friends of the WNC Nature Center.

Like nearly everyone involved with the Friends or the WNC Nature Center, Barbara has a deep love for animals and the outdoors. "I can't ever remember not loving animals," Barbara admitted. "My parents would always take me to the zoo; those are some of my fondest memories." She has continued that family tradition by bringing her children on day trips to the WNC Nature Center. "I particularly love the otters," Barbara adds. "They're always moving and playing… and it makes me happy just by watching them."

Barbara is incredibly passionate about the WNC Nature Center, saying that "… has always been a jewel in Asheville's crown." That belief led Barbara to become involved in the Friends organization. "I want to contribute, to the best of my ability, as much as I can to the WNC Nature Center by volunteering with the Friends," Barbara said. It's that desire to contribute that makes Barbara such a great Board member and Board President.

Barbara's involvement with the Friends started five years ago when she was invited onto the Board of Directors. "I was very excited about it," she said. "This was a Board that really suited my interests and that I could be really committed to.” She is not only the President, but also serves on the Executive, Finance, Development, Nominating and Education & Conservation committees helping the Friends in all areas of the organization.

Listening to Barbara speak, it is obvious just how passionate she is about the Friends of the WNC Nature Center, particularly when she is discussing the Board's achievements. " fun to work with such a talented group of Board members and to have such a close hand in what is happening at the Nature Center," Barbara explained with enthusiasm.

Barbara has good reason to be proud! In the past five years alone the Board of Directors have supported the Center to make possible many new additions and upgrades including:

The renovation of Brandon's Otter Falls
The addition of a Laser Map exhibit in the Main Lobby
The creation of a Friends' Donor Garden,
New reptile & amphibian tanks in the Appalachian Station
Updated interpretive signage throughout the Center
Renovations to Red Wolf Run
Improvements to the Nature Center's Barn.

"What I think we are most proud of," Barbara said, "is supporting and his entire staff in becoming re-accredited through the Association of Zoos & Aquariums."

Many great things have happened, and now Barbara & the rest of the Board are ecstatic about what is to come. "We are going to have quite an impact on the predator area with new interpretive signs and interactive elements," Barbara said. "We have been instrumental in the development of the upcoming predator playground." Even bigger than that is the creation of a Strategic & Site Plan for the WNC Nature Center. These documents will be a roadmap for the Center’s future and include many new additions and enhancements that the Friends will be working hard to help fund.

Barbara's love for the animals, the site and the mission of the WNC Nature Center are all reasons why we are so very glad that she is a member of the Friends. The Friends of the WNC Nature Center thank Barbara for her wonderful and dedicated work as President of the Board of Directors. Without her and her fellow Board members, the Friends wouldn't be the organization it is today. We also thank all of you for your support and invite you to join us as we boldly go forth into the future. As Barbara said, "The best is yet to come."

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