Mary Goodyear, Legacy Award Winner
Mary has helped numerous people reach out and connect to our natural world for over thirty years with the New Hampshire Parks, and now New Hampshire Fish and Game as a Wildlife Educator. Mary’s quiet dedication over the past several years has rewarded many.
She is the Project WILD Coordinator as well as the co-editor of the project WEB newsletter. At Fish and Game Mary coordinates and develops curriculums that are used widely in schools. She oversees the Wonders of Wildlife Program at Fish and Game, training volunteers who present over 100 programs per year. Also in her realm is the Winter Severity Index program which involves students collecting weather data that is then used by biologists in assessing the impact on white-tailed deer. Her work in these areas and others (Wildlife Stewards program, Growing Up Wild, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops) has put her a step above and much deserving of this award.
What tends to stand out with Mary is her non-stop dedication that affects so many people. Her diligent work has improved her own understanding about what teachers need. She even earned a teacher’s certificate. Mary has trained and given experiences to countless people. Judith Silverberg, a colleague, stated that Mary is an “excellent naturalist” and is known for her calm approach and high “level of preparedness”.