John Wiessinger

Educator - Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History

Today’s Date: April 9, 2008

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

Probably raising Mallards as a child. I was able to learn about these ducks firsthand, watch the female raise her young, see the young grow and change, attain adulthood and continue the cycle of life.

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?

I spent most of my spare time enjoying the woods, fields, and creek on a small farm in western Ohio.

Now? I now have 5 acres of woods, creek, and pond in upstate NY where I focus most of my time. I do enjoy Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks as well.

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is and why?

I really can't say that I have a "favorite" animal. I find that I'm attracted to a wide range of insects, birds, fish, and reptiles. Guess my favorite is the animal in front of me at the time.

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?

Our greatest challenge, in my opinion is educating the public to understand that their future is linked with that of our environment's health - we're not separate. This will continue to be the challenge into the future, requiring that governments make the hard decisions that individuals are/seem unwilling to make.

5. If you could give one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

That humans are just as much a part of an incredibly complex web of life as any other organism. We can't function in a vacuum without affecting that web and ultimately affecting our own quality of life.