FIELD NOTES BLOG

Introducing Emma: Education AmeriCorps

Severson Dells
October 26, 2023

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. 

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By Andrea Wallace Noble April 9, 2026
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By Emma Zimmerman April 7, 2026
As we begin the process of rewilding the former Elliot Golf Course, now named Prairie’s Edge, one of the first steps is to gather baseline data so we can track our progress over time. One of the biggest changes we expect to see as the land transitions from a golf course to native habitat is how much carbon it can store. To understand why this matters, it helps to start with carbon itself.
By Lauren Bonavia April 2, 2026
People are increasingly taking up birdwatching as a hobby - and it’s for good reason. Some even aim for a ‘Big Year’, or seeing as many birds as possible in one calendar year. Regardless of your level of commitment, one thing is sure: spending time in nature, off screens, and meaningfully interacting with the people and world around us benefits our health, society, and the environment.