Mike is a lifelong naturalist-educator in Chatham County. He retired from the state of North Carolina after 36 years working with the State Parks System, the Museum of Natural Sciences, and the NC Botanical Garden. He has conducted hundreds of programs and workshops on the natural world on topics ranging from wildlife in Yellowstone to insects in your backyard. Mike continues to learn and share his observations of nature through his blog Roads End Naturalist (roadsendnaturalist.com). In addition, his regular Nature column in Walter magazine features his stellar close-up photography and knowledgeable descriptions of wildlife.

Getting to Know Your Wild Neighbors by Becoming a Backyard Naturalist. It is true – if you plant it, they will come. Native plantings will bring a host of interesting creatures, large and small, to your property. By learning how and what to observe, you can get a peek into the fascinating lives of your wild neighbors.