Author:
Maria Laura Ruozzi
Short summary:
Meet Mary, a conservation biologist, amateur wildlife photographer and passionate birdwatcher from Italy.
Do you have a nickname?
I have never loved my name, therefore the first thing I ask when I meet new people is to be called Mary. In my family they usually call me Mari, while some relatives still have the audacity to call me Pippi (from Pippi Longstocking). If you want to do the same, try it at your own risk.
Explain to a stranger what do you do for Green Steps.
My favorite part about working at Green Steps is that there is no fixed routine and we get to spend a lot of time outdoors. Sometimes I work on the development and maintenance of the ARK platform, which comprehends doing the quests and walking the different routes, while other days I participate in outdoors activities with the kids. Every week I also write either a post or an article to include in the newsletter.
What is your daily routine? What is something you like doing and your coworkers maybe don’t know about you?
Something that I like doing every day is spending time outside, cooking (if possible) all my meals, and keeping in touch with my friends around the world. I love nature photographing, birdwatching, and in general “animal watching”, meaning that whenever I spot an animal, I always feel a bit happier. If you are with me, next to a natural space or even a window, there is a very high probability that I will interrupt you at least once to point to some non-human animal.
Use less than 250 words to tell a story about yourself: starting from “where are you from” to the choice of joining Green Steps.
I come from a very small town situated in the north of Italy. Academically, I have studied in a Liceo Classico (high school whose curriculum comprehends ancient Greek and Latin), and then pursued a B.Sc. in Biology, followed by a M.Sc. in Biodiversity and Conservation. For my Bachelor’s thesis I studied the avian population in a Lipu (BirdLife International partner) reserve, where my passion for conservation and birds started to take form. Right after the Bachelor’s, I did a gap year where I volunteered for many months in a wildlife rescue center, becoming a wildlife rescuer and rehabber.
For my Master’s, I moved to Belgium, because I wanted to challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone and enjoy the advantages of living in a multi-cultural place for two years. I had the honor of being chosen for a project in Namibia, where I did my thesis in collaboration with the Cheetah Conservation Fund. After graduation, I applied for the Peace Corps and ended up in Ecuador, where I lived for one year and worked with rural communities. To be honest, that experience cannot be described, and I fear I have left part of my heart and soul in this wonderful country. Anyway, at the end of the project I was once again looking for the next adventure, and doing an ESC program has always been on my bucket list. That’s how I first heard of Green Steps, and after reading about the mission of the organization, I decided to apply! I am convinced that an important step in nature conservation is to involve the local communities, especially the youngest generations.
Mention a book you read as a teenager that still tells something about you, and that you would still suggest reading.
The horse whisperer by Nicholas Evans is a book that I deeply loved (even though it traumatized me). I felt that Grace and I had a lot in common, both being horse owners, and scared and angry teenagers that needed to be rescued.
How do you expect you and Green Steps to have an impact in the next years? Close with a wish for the organization.
I hope Green Steps will be able to grow, both in Austria and internationally. It would be amazing to involve more and more children and to teach them to love nature!
