Volunteer Spotlight, Dr. Loren Anderson
Dr. Loren Anderson
Florida Caverns State Park
When you think botany, you think of Florida Caverns State Park’s volunteer Dr. Loran Anderson, who has been influencing botany and conservation in Florida for four decades.
As a professor of biology at Florida State University for 29 years, Dr. Anderson mentored countless students in the fields of biology and botany. His unique and inspiring teaching style inspired many young minds in the fields of conservation and botanical exploration in Florida. Many of his former students play an important role in the conservation of our state as working botanists. Dr. Anderson served as a member of the Florida Endangered Plant Advisory Council for more than 30 years and remains active with field surveys and herbarium studies.
Since his retirement, Dr. Anderson joined the Florida Caverns State Park family as a volunteer. He is dedicated to documenting the comprehensive flora of the park, updating and adding species to the growing list of over 600 species.
Dr. Anderson is also a great interpreter at the park, volunteering his time to educate staff in plant identification and leading field trips for Chipola College students at the park.
Florida Caverns State Park staff and visitors are thankful for Dr. Anderson and appreciate him sharing his passion and wealth of knowledge of local botany.