July 2025 Volunteer of the Month

By Sarah Reilly

This spring was a great year for lupine, which means our volunteer certified seed collectors had a busy June. One such volunteer, Kristi Shepler, stands out not only for her hard work collecting lupine, but for her enthusiasm for the preserve and passion for native plants- and is our volunteer of the month for July!

Kristi is inspired by nature with everything she does. She is a founding officer for the Wild Ones Capital Region chapter and serves on committees at the national level. She also assisted in the foundation work of Home Earth Alliance helping with the inaugural Ecological Landscapes display at the Capital Region Flower and Garden Show. Going forward, she hopes to continue giving presentations and helping environmental forward groups be involved at the show. When not promoting environmentally sound gardening practices and the use of native plants, Kristi is a busy mother to her 5-year-old daughter. Since moving to the area from Toledo Ohio, Kristi has established a small homestead with her family- of course focusing on native plants.

When asked about her favorite part of volunteering at the Pine Bush, Kristi remarked “You would think that rucking off trail to collect seeds would be secluded. While it is for the most part, I have still had wonderful conversations with the neighbors and hikers. Many shared their thanks for helping the Karner, but I love when they share what they found magical about the Pine Bush”. Kristi’s favorite area of the preserve is the Kings Highway Barrens, where she loves witnessing restoration, and favorite animal is the Timberdoodle (which is another name for the American Woodcock). “Just this year the lupine was not only beautiful, but the seed set was fantastic as well. While it is bittersweet as the collection window closes there is something magical about standing out in a large patch of Lupine. As the seed pods dry they make a delightful pop and send their seeds flying. The sound of several pods popping every few minutes is similar to those first raindrops after a hot dry spell”

In her second year volunteering with us, Kristi has made an impact not only by helping to collect native seeds, but by being part of the community. She frequents programs, brings her daughter to the Discovery Center, and has participated in our annual Pine Bush Perspectives photo contest, aligning with her goal to “get back into art and display my love for flora and fauna in as many mediums as I can.”

 

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