Whether you’ve spent time in national parks, state parks, township parks or the MetroParks, you’ve probably noticed that park staff are special people. They are people who find greater purpose in their daily work and undeniably love what they do, and that feeling permeates everything they do. Penny Borgman is one of our intermittent Outdoor Educators and she is the epitome of just that.

MetroParks was lucky that Penny joined our Programming and Education crew several months ago, not only because of the 39+ years experience she brings, but also because of her passion for teaching others about the world around us. She believes that her job plays a vital role in forming connections between visitors and the parks. Penny wholeheartedly promotes MetroParks’ vision to “Awaken the Explorer in Everyone.”

Penny’s love for nature started at a young age during family trips to the US National Parks. It was during these trips that Penny decided what she wanted to be when she grew up. The Park Rangers she met and learned from inspired her to become a Naturalist, so when she graduated from high school, she attended The Ohio State University to study Natural Science. This was the beginning of her pathway to parks. Penny graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science with a specialization in Environmental Interpretation. How many of us can say we are living our childhood dream?

Penny has always worked in Ohio. She spent 29 years at Great Parks and the last 10 years at Fernald Preserve doing what she loves. She shared that one of the beautiful things about doing this work in Ohio are the seasonal changes and the diversity those changes bring. A hike on the same trail in the same park can be wildly different depending on the season you are there. Whether it’s a winter hike, a springtime wildflower hike, a summertime butterfly hike, or an autumn foliage hike, there is so much to see and learn.

A quote by Freeman Tilden describes Penny’s career mission perfectly. “Through interpretation, understanding; through understanding, appreciation; through appreciation, protection.” She strives to help stakeholders connect with the resources in our parks, to draw them in and to educate them. Penny feels it’s only through education and understanding that people will work to protect those resources. Unsurprisingly, some of the figures that have inspired Penny through the years are Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir.

Penny’s love and admiration for nature is a family affair and even infuses into her hobbies and interests. Her husband is a habitat specialist with Great Parks, her daughter works with Hamilton County Soil and Water and her son is a machinist. Even Penny’s grandchild has helped plant trees at her home, which hosts over 50 species of woody plants and is part of the Midwest Native Plant Tour.

Penny and her husband Tom have spent their lives together in the pursuit of learning, teaching, protecting, and enjoying nature. Penny has visited almost every National Park! To hear Penny talk about visiting places like Glacier, Yosemite, or Haleakala, about how each park has a different ecosystem is inspiring.

The life Penny has lived, the adventures she’s had, the family she’s created, and the passion she has for nature are all the things that make her a great educator and an asset to MetroParks of Butler County!

If you have the opportunity to meet Penny or any of our other educators, to attend one of their programs, or see them at an event, seize it! As Penny says, her job is to “help people learn about nature, foster wonder, and inspire curiosity. Nature is for EVERY age.” John Muir once said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” I’d say there is no bigger or better description of what MetroParks’ Programming and Education team does.

About the Author:

Jaime Kimbrough is MetroParks’ Director of Human Resources.