FIELD NOTES BLOG

Meet Lauren

Lauren Bonavia
November 5, 2025

Hi, everyone! My name is Lauren, and I am so thrilled to be serving AmeriCorps as an Environmental Educator here at Severson Dells Nature Center!


Growing up in Rockford, the highlight of my summers was the time I spent as a camper at Atwood Nature Center learning about the world around me. This experience certainly resonated with me because after graduating from Auburn High School, I followed my lifelong passions and got a degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. 


Wildlife Data Collection: Sheridan, MT (left) and Grand Mesa National Forest, CO (right)


Since then, I have moved around several states working as a field technician for the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, where I collected data on birds, bees, frogs, mammals, and plants. My most recent job landed me in the rolling hills of rural Kansas studying Wild Turkeys and their habitats for a graduate research study.


As someone who loves traveling, my favorite part about this field of work is the opportunity to learn and connect - not only with the physical landscape of a new and spectacular place - but with the people who make the place what it is.


Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, WY


While my previous experiences are a little different than my role at the nature center, the factors driving me have always been the same: I value conservation, environmental awareness, and connection to people and nature. I am eager to be back home learning from, connecting with, and giving back to the community that shaped me into who I am today.


When I am not at Severson Dells, you can find me playing volleyball, birdwatching, reading, or wandering around a park or museum!


I feel immensely grateful to be here, and I look forward to meeting all of the people who make Severson Dells such a special place.


RECENT ARTICLES

Birding for Tots: Your Child's First 'Big Year'

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.

Five Nature Books You Should Know

By Caroline Pacheco • March 18, 2026
If you’re a reader interested in learning more about nature, then you’ve probably browsed a few book lists looking for recommendations and quickly got overwhelmed by the sheer amount of nature books that exist. There are certainly some classics such as Silent Spring or Walden , but it can be hard to decipher what to read when selecting more current publications. At Severson Dells, our staff is full of voracious readers (seriously, three different people got books about octopi in the holiday gift exchange) and are happy to provide some recommendations! These recommendations are more recent publications, within the last ten years, and have all been read and enjoyed by at least one member of the staff here at Severson. They vary in topic, but all share the common thread of getting people engaged in the nature around them.

Climate in the News: Coastal Sea Levels Are Higher Than Previously Thought

By Emma Zimmerman • March 10, 2026
A new study published in the journal Nature, titled Sea Level Much Higher Than Assumed in Most Coastal Hazard Assessments is making headlines around the world. In case you missed it, researchers have recently found that coastal sea levels are, on average, 8 -12 inches higher than many maps and models have previously suggested. This discovery means that many coastal areas are at an even greater risk from rising sea levels than we previously believed.