Mike Dunn
I owe my love of nature to my father, who took me fishing, hunting, and camping when I was growing up. After earning degrees aquatic ecology and environmental sciences, I pursued a career as a naturalist and educator with NC State Parks, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, and the NC Botanical Garden. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to help others experience the natural world across North Carolina an in many outstanding areas beyond our state’s borders, from Belize to the Arctic, and in my favorite destination, Yellowstone, which has recently become our home. Now retired, I am outside as much as possible, observing and learning about the natural world. Through photography and writing, I hope to share my love of nature with others and inspire people to conserve the beauty and diversity of this planet we call home. Join me in this journey and see what lies just beyond the end of the road.
Melissa Dowland
As a naturalist and educator for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, I have had the privilege of sharing the wonders of nature with thousands of teachers on school grounds, in state and national parks, and in outstanding natural areas around the world. After pursuing degrees in environmental science and structural geology, I had the opportunity to learn from some of the best naturalists in North Carolina and to extend my knowledge beyond rocks to things that grow and live on and around them. Since relocating to Gardiner, Montana just outside of Yellowstone National Park, I’ve transitioned to a part-time role where I’m grateful to continue to lead the Museum’s Yellowstone and Yellowstone in Winter Institutes. Join me as I learn about my new home, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and explore our human connections to the natural world around us.
Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road
Copyright Mike Dunn and Melissa Dowland
Roads End Naturalist 