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Programs

Environmental Education

Day Camps

Community Science

Community Programs

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Found at our facility

Discovery Room with live Nature Education Critters

Local
Artwork

Nature
Displays

Gardens

Bike Share

Public Restrooms

Water Fountains

WiFi

The Nature Place Staff

Amber Mande

Visitor Services Manager

Amber Mande fell in love with nature as a young girl in the rural backwoods of central Wisconsin. Amber went on to graduate from UW-LaCrosse with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology: Pre-Veterinary Science and Environmental Studies. During the summer of 2016, Amber joined a WisCorps conservation crew and has since moved through several AmeriCorps positions here. After completing three AmeriCorps service terms, Amber eagerly accepted a permanent position with The Nature Place as the Visitor Services Manager. In her free time, Amber enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping, but most of all, spending any time she can outside with her partner, three kids, and their dogs, Oakley and Dory.

Stephanie Hanna

Community Program Manager

Stephanie is passionate about working for The Nature Place because of their goal to bring nature opportunities to everyone. As an educator with over 30 years of experience, she believes education is the key to connecting people to nature. Stephanie earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan. She worked as an elementary and middle school teacher in Canada before moving to the Driftless Area. She loves to learn and teach others. She enjoys walking and hiking with Astro, her precocious poodle, yoga, cycling, reading, and being outdoors as much as possible. Stephanie is also an avid film fan and loves to live vicariously through the outdoor adventures of her favorite famous biologists as they film some fantastic interactions with nature’s creatures.

Cindy Blobaum

Environmental Education Program Manager

Cindy Blobaum, Environmental Education Program Manager, brings a deep connection to the natural world, history of creative education and desire to assist others in exploring the opportunities around them to her position. Born and raised in Central Illinois, it took working, schooling and traveling across the country and around the world for her to acknowledge that the Midwest is her home. She has a B.S. in Zoology with minors in Chemistry and Business Administration, and a Master of Liberal Studies/museum education. She has designed and lead nature-based education programs in Illinois, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa and Nebraska. She is also the author of 10 hands-on science activity books for kids (and their teachers) on topics including geology, snakes, insects, skulls & skeletons, gravity and night science.

Rebecca Schwarz

Director of The Nature Place

Rebecca Schwarz grew up on a family farm twenty minutes outside of La Crosse. She graduated from UW-La Crosse with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and later earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching & Instruction. As a farm kid turned city dweller, Rebecca loves to explore ways to connect her family with nature every day. Rebecca joined the organization as the Director of The Nature Place in May 2024. With over 20 years of experience working in non-profits and public service, Rebecca is excited to use her community building and community engagement skills to ensure that the mission of The Nature Place lives on for generations to come.

The Nature Place Staff

Cara Senn

Visitor Services Assistant

Cara was born and raised in La Crosse, so an appreciation for the Driftless area was instilled early on by hiking the bluffs and biking the trails. From a young age, she’s always been interested in the little details of a landscape; from bugs to slugs to plants to fungi. At home, she has three cats and an unruly backyard with native plants and a food garden. Tending to the garden is her favorite way to relax, along with hiking, foraging, and kayaking. Cara attended UW-La Crosse with a B.A. in Plant and Fungal Science and a minor in Spanish. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Biology, with a focus on conservation of the La Crosse River Marsh. She’s very passionate about the conservation of all habitats, which is why The Nature Place is a perfect fit. She hopes to learn as much as she can, inspire young minds to explore nature, and find their own passions for the natural world.

Ashlyn Luckey

Gardens & Grounds Assistant

Ashlyn grew up in Northern Illinois where she spent much of her childhood outside, surrounded by nature. She graduated from Florida Southern College in May of 2022 with a degree in Environmental Studies alongside two minors; English and Women and Gender Studies. Her love for the natural world continued to flourish through an initial AmeriCorps term of service following graduation. Her passion for conservation and connecting people to nature brought her to another AmeriCorps term of service at The Nature Place. In her free time, Ashlyn enjoys reading, crafting, baking, listening to music, and spending time outdoors.

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