I was thinking about who would be a great guest for Earth Day. I wanted to talk with someone who is committed to nature, has a zestful attitude towards life and has shown resilience in her life despite dealing with painful losses. If she was an adventurous traveler that would be even better. Then I realized I knew just the woman!

Irene Mazzocchi is retired from the Department of Environmental Conservation in New York State and organizes annual bird counts in the Northern part of NY. Since her retirement, she continues to volunteer for environmental causes and even created a bird quiz on her private birding Facebook group. She’s particularly partial to protecting the birds who make their home on the dunes on Lake Ontario. Irene also travels frequently with a pack of her women friends, and is known as a passionate and energetic force.