Volunteer Spotlight, Anne Lewellen
Anne Lewellen
Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park
Anne Lewllen’s love of the outdoors has developed gradually over the past 25 years. She didn’t camp or hike as a kid, but after going on a fantastic national park road trip after college she realized what she was missing. Ever since then she has enjoyed hiking all over northeast Florida since moving here 19 years ago. Her favorite part of hiking is the chance of spotting wildlife of any shape or size, including wading birds, armadillos, alligators and snakes.
Anne came to volunteer for the Florida Park Service three years ago when she signed up to be an Audubon Eaglewatch volunteer and was assigned the Pumpkin Hill Creek nest. Although the nest has only produced one fledging eaglet in the past three years, it is very relaxing for her to spend time at the viewing bench observing the nest and other wildlife in the area. For Anne all of the waiting is definitely worth it, as it has been a thrill for her to get to see a fuzzy eaglet head for the first time, and realizing she may be the first human it has ever seen.
Anne is thankful that Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park will be a refuge for native Florida plants and animals for decades to come, protected from development, and always awaiting any who want to visit this special place.