Spotlight on Anna Le

BY CARA SCHAEFER

Teachers can help guide us along new paths — or “trails” — in life. We spoke with environmental educator and ecologist Anna Le about bringing new perspectives to environmental education, making kids comfortable in the classroom, and some of the best furry denizens of Yellowstone National Park. 

Photos courtesy of Anna Le.

OUT THERE: What led you to the environmental field?

ANNA LE: I grew up fishing with my parents. I'm originally from Southern California, so the beach was about an hour away from us. With my culture embedded into the fishing, and the great memories with my parents and my siblings just being outside next to the ocean, that led me down the path of getting into marine biology. And it wasn't until two years into marine biology in college, that I realized that I got really horrible seasickness, and then switched over to freshwater ecosystems!

OT: You taught some online educational courses for kids during the pandemic. Do you have a memory from that which makes you smile? 

AL: Everyone that I talked to — all the adults — were saying, “Kids are not going to be affected by the pandemic. It doesn't really matter to them because they're still young.” But having that connection online was so important, because it actually provided a completely different resource for all these introverted students (who tend to not participate in classroom settings) and for students who don't really benefit from how the education system is set up. With them having their own screen, I told them, “Whatever you need to feel comfortable, whether it's turning off your microphone or turning off your camera, just participate in any way you can.”

I found that increasingly a lot more students actually participated and answered questions and played these games alongside me. And, a lot of the time, students became more vulnerable, just because of them not being able to grieve as adults would, and also being able to be more open because they’re in this online world instead of in-person. That kind of opportunity to be more vulnerable and open with one another, and actually share, was really awesome to see during the pandemic. 

OT: Are there any changes you would like to see when it comes to the field of environmental science and/or conservation?

AL: One of the primary changes I would like to see is diversity in perspectives. Right now, you're only seeing all these old white men in this field, with years of knowledge, which I super respect, but I would love to see a change bringing new perspectives and new audiences as well. I think representation is so important. For example, I am the only BIPOC educator in my entire organization here in Yellowstone National Park, so when I'm relaying information to and educating kids, it's really important for me to have this representation as a woman of color to say, “Hey, you can also be here and feel comfortable doing so.”

I would also love the incorporation of new and better materials. I remember the first week on my job training here, I had another educator quote five John Muir quotes in a single setting, and that was just completely shocking. Whereas there's a lot of other naturalists, environmental educators, and environmentalists —  and indigenous and Native communities that have been doing this for thousands of years — that we don't necessarily quote. 

It’s important to actually have different languages incorporated into these curricula as well. For the past few weeks in particular, that whole safety aspect of “don't approach bison, don't touch the hot springs” didn't really come across, because there's a huge language barrier. And then for me, it's like, “Why are these signs not in multiple languages? Why am I the only person of color, who can only speak one language, and not be able to talk to people who primarily spoke Spanish or primarily spoke Cantonese?” And for me that barrier translates over to a lot of people saying, “Oh, they're just not knowledgeable or don't care about the environment.” But in reality, we are not meeting them where they’re at. 

OT: Currently you're working as a field educator and leading wildlife tours in Yellowstone. What's been one of your favorite wildlife experiences?

AL: Anything dealing with wolves or bears, because they are the top predators in the ecosystem, and because of their history as well  — predators used to not be here, because a lot of people wanted to wipe them out. Bison have a long history here as well. There used to be 50 to 60 million bison, and now the largest herd found is here in Yellowstone National Park with about 5,000 individuals. We've made a lot of mistakes, but we’ve come a long way. And now we’re able to see the ecosystem playing out as it should be, with the natural food chain and interactions between predator and prey. 

OT: How do those animals interact with each other?

AL: For the most part, they give each other space. You’ve got to be mindful that one individual, full-grown bison can get up to 1,800 to 2,000 pounds. So it's not going to be every single day that a pack of wolves is taking down a bison. For the most part, bison are on their own, bears are doing their own thing, and the wolves are milling about and being the kings of the valley. It's just pretty incredible to see that all of these animals can coexist with one another and not have that much conflict, though when it comes to it they do need to feed themselves and eat somehow. 

OT: You've also seen a lot of badgers, which are ADORABLE. Can you tell me more about your encounters with them?

AL: My first trip to Yellowstone was in 2017, and every single hike I did, I saw these really massive, deep holes in the sagebrush habitat. Since then, I’ve sprained multiple ankles falling into these holes. So being out there and finally getting to see the source...because they’re very elusive. In one acre, you'll have like 20 different badger holes, but you never get to see the animal itself. 

This year, I saw 50 or so cars pulled off the side of the road. And I'm like, “Okay, this might be a wolf or a bear or something.” So as we got out they’re like, “No, it’s a badger.” And, I kid you not, I freaked out so hard, because this was my first time seeing a badger. I didn't realize how cute they were! Just completely adorable, like the size of an ottoman. Huffing and bustling in the sagebrush with their really long, aggressive-looking claws. I found myself, even on the weekends, waking up super early to go seek them out. 

OT: What advice would you give someone looking to view wildlife outdoors? 

AL: Don't be afraid to ask questions! If you can afford it, book some tours, though I know a lot of families and individuals cannot. But try your best to ask a lot of questions about where the wildlife could be, and when you're out there, don't be shy to actually ask community members if you can take a look into their scope or for advice on spotting wildlife. In my opinion, it's better to share the space and the knowledge so everyone can see wildlife. Nothing's worse than traveling across the country on a three day road trip, or flying out here and waking up at  5 a.m. to go watch wildlife, and realizing that you don't have the gear or the dollars to see wildlife. 

And it goes back to the other side too. Whenever you can, try not to gatekeep. Share that knowledge and share the experience with one another. 

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

You can find Anna on Instagram.