Hello! My name is Emma Zimmerman, and I am excited to be serving as an Environmental Education AmeriCorps Member here at Severson Dells! I have grown up in the stateline area, so I am happy to be back home and in the place I love most - the forest! I graduated this spring from Beloit College with a degree in Environmental Biology. I am interested in forest ecosystems and deep ecology, and I am passionate about people and our relationship with nature. 

I recently moved back to Illinois after serving an AmeriCorps term as a botany member in the Mt.Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington State conducting plant surveys and removing invasive species, so I’m excited to apply that knowledge and experience here at Severson! During my off time I am an avid backpacker and hiker, and I am always looking for my next adventure! I enjoy spending my time reading, running, listening to music, and spending time with friends.

I am so excited to be joining the team at Severson Dells Nature Center, and I can’t wait to watch as the seasons change in such a beautiful place.