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LINDA CHORICE'S LOVE FOR THE OUTDOORS BEGAN AT AN EARLY AGE. THE SPRINGFIELD CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER MANAGER GREW UP IN WICHITA, KANSAS WITH HER PARENTS AND A BROTHER AND SISTER. SHE SAYS SHE ALWAYS KNEW SHE'D SOMEHOW STAY CONNECTED WITH THE OUTDOORS.

HER FAMILY ALSO SPENT WEEKENDS AND DAYS OFF AT THE LAKE—CAMPING AND BOATING.

BUT DURING THE SUMMER WEEKS WHEN SHE VACATIONED WITH HER FAMILY OUT WEST, CHORICE GOT THE CHANCE TO EXPLORE.

LOOKING BACK, CHORICE SAYS SHE HAD SEVERAL MENTORS, ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE REALIZED IT.

THAT EXPERIENCE AND OTHERS LED CHORICE TO CHOOSE A CAREER IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD.

CHORICE GOT THE CHANCE TO TEST THE INTERPRETATION WATERS IN COLLEGE WHEN SHE SERVED FOR THREE YEARS AS A DOCENT AT DICKERSON PARK ZOO.

LINDA CHORICE EARNED HER DEGREE FROM THEN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT IN 1984.

HER FIRST JOB OUT OF COLLEGE WAS SOMETHING SHE'D ALSO DONE DURING COLLEGE—SHE WORKED FOR 3 SUMMERS (INCLUDING THE SUMMER AFTER GRADUATION) FOR THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AS A PARK TECHNICIAN/RANGER IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. SHE SERVED AS AN INTERPRETIVE SPECIALIST DOING CAMPGROUND PROGRAMS.

WHILE THERE, SHE INTERVIEWED FOR WHAT SHE CALLS HER DREAM JOB—ONE WITH THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION.

CHORICE GOT A JOB AS A NATURALIST AT THE DEPARTMENT'S FIRST NATURE CENTER—ONE THAT HAD OPENED TWO YEARS EARLIER—THE BURR OAK WOODS CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER IN KANSAS CITY AND BEGAN WORKING THERE IN THE FALL OF 1985.

CHORICE REMAINED THERE FOR FOUR YEARS.

SHE INITIALLY WENT FOR THAT POSITION KNOWING THAT SOMEDAY THERE WOULD BE A NATURE CENTER IN SPRINGFIELD AND, WITH EXPERIENCE AT BURR OAK WOODS, SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A JOB THERE.

THE SPRINGFIELD CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER OPENED IN 1988 AND CHORICE WAS ABLE TO MAKE A LATERAL MOVE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND BECOME A NATURALIST AT THE NEW FACILITY.

AFTER TWO YEARS AS A NATURALIST IN SPRINGFIELD, SHE WAS MOVED UP TO ASSISTANT MANAGER OF THE SPRINGFIELD CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER.

AFTER 7 YEARS, THEN-NATURE CENTER MANAGER DAVE CATLIN ANNOUNCED HE WAS LEAVING, AND CHORICE HAD A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE.

CHORICE IS BUSY IN HER ROLE AS MANAGER OF THE SPRINGFIELD CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER. SHE EXPLAINS WHAT SHE DOES.

THE NATURE CENTER ALSO RELIES ON A LARGE CREW OF VOLUNTEERS WHO CHORICE SAYS ARE VITAL TO THE CENTER'S DAY TO DAY OPERATION.

CHORICE SAYS EDUCATION IS ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS OF THE SPRINGFIELD CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER.

MANY OF THE NATURE CENTER PROGRAMS ARE GEARED TOWARD KIDS. FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S BABES IN THE WOODS, CREATED BY FORMER NATURALIST DONNA LEGG, FOR KIDS 2 AND YOUNGER, WHICH INTRODUCES BABIES AND TODDLERS TO THE OUTDOORS. LITTLE ACORNS PROGRAMS OFFER INFORMATION ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS TO CHILDREN 3 TO 6. THERE'S A CONSERVATION KIDS CLUB FOR KIDS 7 TO 12 AND A CONSERVATION TEEN CLUB FOR 12 TO 17-YEAR-OLDS.

THE NATURE CENTER ALSO WORKS WITH TEACHERS INTERESTED IN BRINGING THE CONSERVATION MESSAGE INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS.

CHORICE STILL GIVES PROGRAM AND SAYS SHE NEVER WANTS TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE SHE DOESN'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT ANYMORE.

HEAR MORE FROM LINDA CHORICE, MANAGER OF THE SPRINGFIELD CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER, THIS AFTERNOON AT 4:36 AS KSMU'S SENSE OF COMMUNITY SERIES CONTINUES.

THIS PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT KSMU.ORG. FOR KSMU, I'M MICHELE SKALICKY.

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