Beth Pratt

As a young girl, I would gaze with longing at photo books of our National Parks and think, someday, someday… As an adult I realized my childhood dream, and have dedicated both my professional and personal endeavors to being a steward of our public lands. I have worked in environmental leadership roles for almost twenty years, and in two of the country’s largest national parks: Yosemite and Yellowstone. I currenty work in my dream job, California Director for the National Wildlife Federation. Before joining NWF in 2011, I worked on sustainability and climate change programs for Xanterra Parks & Resorts in Yellowstone as its Director of Environmental Affairs. Prior to my role in Yellowstone, for nine years I served as Vice President/CFO for the non-profit Yosemite Association.

My articles have been published in Yellowstone Discovery, Yosemite, Yosemite Nature Notes, The Harbinger, online for the Sierra Club, and in Biocycle. I have also appeared on the National Geographic Travel channel, authored the official Junior Ranger Handbook for Yosemite, and my novel, The Idea of Forever, was released in 2002. Currently I author two websites www.bethpratt.com (focused on natural history and wilderness) and www.greeningyellowstone.org (dedicated to raising awareness about climate change and sustainability), and write a column for Examiner.com

My love of public lands has led me to explore the wilderness throughout the United States, hike the John Muir Trail, and wander extensively through the backcountry of Yosemite and Yellowstone. For me, the conservationist Enos Mills perfectly describes why I cherish our National Parks: “Within National Parks is room -- glorious room -- room in which to find ourselves, in which to think and hope, to dream and plan, to rest and resolve”

Originally a native of Massachusetts, I currently live outside of Yosemite with my dogs Tioga, Dante, and Aysun, two cats, and the many frogs who frequent my backyard frog pond.