We live in Massachusetts for most of the year, but we spend a portion of each year in Monteverde. Fred first visited Monteverde in 1981; Laurie came in 1986. Since then, we have both worked on different biology projects in the area (bellbirds, quetzals, dragonflies) and for a short stint, Laurie worked as a guide in the Reserve. We got married in 1994 and in 2000, our daughter was born. Since 2004, we have led more than three dozen natural history trips to Costa Rica.
Fred is now retired from a career as a science teacher, but is currently studying native bees in MA and working with others on electronic field guides to the dragonflies and damselflies of Costa Rica and Ecuador.
Laurie is the co-director of Historic Northampton and works as an environmental consultant with Conservation Works LLC. For ten years (1999-2009), she produced a weekly natural history series called Field Notes, which aired on WFCR 88.5 FM in Amherst, MA. Some of her previous stories can be heard on Living on Earth.
Both Fred and Laurie are active in Westhampton, serving on the Conservation Commission (Fred), Zoning Board of Appeals (Laurie), and the Open Space & Recreation Committee (Fred & Laurie).
Our daughter is now a student at Boston University, majoring in anthropology and minoring in spanish.