Ruth Colianni grew up sailing in the Chesapeake Bay, and was later drawn by wilderness and adventure to Denali 35 years ago. She feels privileged to call Cantwell, Alaska her home. Ruth’s first winter was spent in the desolate beauty of Kantishna and it was the hook that snagged her heart. Like many locals in the Denali region, she built her own house and still prefers to live off the grid. Many of her years in the area were spent sharing the Park with visitors taking them on interpretive tours in the Park, as well as being an interpretive trainer and driver trainer of fellow guides. She has also worked with Elderhostel in the early days of the program, and occasionally she volunteers in Denali National Park and Preserve. Her education was in Fine Arts (BFA from Arizona State University), but she swapped her camera for binoculars to follow a passion for natural history. Now Ruth has joined the University of Illinois team as a an intern and hopes to help with the Envision Project as well as contribute to her community.
About the Research
Our goal is to establish a process for advancing “inclusive conservation” that reflects the multiple viewpoints on the future of protected area management in the Denali region. Click here for more details about our project.
News
- Recent Panorama solution affords exciting opportunities to share our research about inclusive conservation in Denali
- Sharing project findings at the International Association for Society and Natural Resources Virtual Conference
- Recent webinar hosted by IUCN featuring inclusive conservation and the ENVISION project
- State-wide and regional survey launch
- David Nguyen disseminates findings at the UIUC Undergraduate Research Symposium
Recent Newsletters
