FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Stout hired as Nature Center manager/naturalist

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The City of Bristol Tennessee has hired Jeremy B. Stout as the new chief park 
naturalist for the Steele Creek Nature Center and Steele Creek Park.  He will 
assume his duties July 16.  

Stout fills a position held by Kevin Elam who has resigned to enter graduate 
school at Virginia Tech.

The new naturalist has been employed this summer at Warriors' Path State Park 
at Kingsport where he has been conducting summer programs for Park Naturalist 
Marty Silver.

He is a very personable individual who will bring enthusiasm to the nature 
center and nature activities of the park.

Stout is a graduate of East Tennessee State University where he studied biology 
and geology.  

His past experiences include working with Roan Mountain State Park and Hands 
On! Regional Museum at Johnson City.

He comes to the position with the seal of approval of Elam who attended classes 
at ETSU with him in recent years before Elam was hired at Steele Creek Nature 
Center.  Elam was also a member of the interview team for filling the position.

Nora Schubert, Roan Mountain Massif seasonal ecologist for Southern Appalachian 
Highlands Conservancy, was a finalist for the position before withdrawing as an 
applicant in recent weeks.

Stout becomes the sixth chief park naturalist at the Steele Creek Nature Center 
since the facility was completed in the fall of 1995:  Jane Fleenor (Aug 1994 - 
Sep 1995), Kevin Hamed (Oct 1995 - Aug 2003); Leslie Burrell (Oct 6, 2002 - Oct 
23, 2003); Alex Coley (Dec. 2003 - Aug 2004); Kevin Elam (Sep 2004 - Aug 2006); 
Jeremy Stout (Aug 2006 - present). Fleenor was president of the Bristol Bird 
Club 1994 -1995.  

The first paid park naturalists were Brent Rowell (1970 and 1972) and Joey 
Jackson (1971).  Wendy Hall had a temporary and unofficial naturalist status in 
the early 1990's during the construction of the nature center.  She was a 
member of the maintenance staff at the park.  Rick Phillips and Tom Laughlin 
held seasonal positions at the park and worked with naturalist activities in 
1977.

Let's go birding......

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN