Welcome to TKN

Welcome to The Keystone Naturalist! This is a blog about appreciating and conserving Pennsylvania’s natural resources. In a state with more than twenty physiographic provinces, there’s a lot to explore. I hope you allow me to be your guide and teach you how I see the world around me.

Who are you?

Let me introduce myself- I’m Autumn. I live in Northcentral Pennsylvania in the Appalachian Mountain Section. I graduated from Lock Haven University with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Geology in 2018. I studied the hydrogeology of small watersheds, presenting my research at conferences. Plus, I dabbled in sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleontology, and petrography. The only thing I love in this world more than rocks, soil, and water are my fiancé and books!

Aside from my education, I have lived in rural, small-town Pennsylvania my entire life. I’m lucky to live close to a State Park and grew up rambling through the Susquehanna River Valley. I descend from a long line of outdoorsmen- at least ten generations at this point! My roots run deep, and they are strong! I’m lucky to live here and have grown up in a small community.

Why a blog?

When I graduated from college, the type of geologist I had become had fallen out of favor. I focused on understanding the coaction of geology and meteorology using practical skills. However, my special skill was in public speaking and presenting new ideas and knowledge to everyday people… my dream job was being a park ranger for the NPS. When it came time to find a job, I couldn’t bear to move away from Pennsylvania. Instead, I put my dream on the backburner to change career paths and support myself.

For years, I continued learning about the natural world in my private, offline life. In Fall 2024, I started the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program. The program introduced me to online conservation and scientific education. There were hundreds of people like me, using their passions to create and share online.

Despite the number of educators, very few had anything to do with Pennsylvania. My old dream began to reform into something new, this time as a naturalist focusing on the state that I love.

What can I expect?

While reading The Keystone Naturalist, you will start to understand the natural world. I want to help you identify plants, animals, minerals, and geological features. We will explore citizen science projects like eBird and CoCoRaHS together, too.

My goal is to open your eyes to the world around you; to show you natural wonders and curiosities. Out of everywhere in the universe, Earth is humanity’s home, and it is a beautiful place. The geological, meteorological, and biological systems of Earth fuel our lives. A natural education will foster empathy and care for Earth in your heart and mind.

Let’s get started!

From this point onwards, I hope you look forward to a weekly post about one of the topics I mentioned above. At first, we will establish a scientific home base and start to explore the Bald Eagle Valley. Over time, we will expand into the Susquehanna River Valley. At last, we will explore all Pennsylvania.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to reach out on the “Contact” page, or in a post comment. We are exploring Pennsylvania together, and I hope you will have as much fun as I!