Kerry Reider graduated from Moravian College in 2016, majoring in environmental science. He lives in Saylorsburg, Pa, and works for Bushkill Township as its Open Space Coordinator. 

I was an environmental science major, and one of the required courses was Biology 119: Introductory Botany. I was not thrilled about taking it. Growing up, I was interested in animals, fish, water, and biology. I never took much notice of the trees and plants around me.

They all looked the same. That is, until I took Dr. John Bevington’s Introductory Botany class.

Bevington taught us how plants function, how they grow, and how people use them. The part that really stuck with me was the structures of the plants themselves and how wildlife and humans can use the different parts of plants for food, medicine, and other uses.

Bevington also taught us about some of the native and non-native plants in our area, where the non-native plants came from, and how some can be considered invasive.

The information that I learned in class, in part, led me to my career as the Open Space Coordinator for Bushkill Township in Nazareth, PA. I manage four Township-owned preserves and several miles of multi-use trails, and handle all environmental elements of the Township. 

Part of my job is to educate residents, supervisors, staff, and visitors about the different resources that are on our preserves and why they are beneficial. Plants are a big part of this.

I am able to apply the information that I learned from Introductory Botany and identify native and non-native species on our properties, educate people about how wildlife uses these plants, and how humans can potentially use some of these plants as food, medicine, or some other use.

The course had a big impact on my personal life, too. In our conversations before and after class, Bevington often would tell stories of his canoeing and fly-fishing trips, and his love of tying his own fishing flies. He even gave me some to try and passed on his knowledge of fishing in some of the local streams. This spurred my interest in fly-fishing and kick-started my love of canoeing. 

I read many books that Bevington recommended (and still have to read a few of his recommendations on Native American and Early Settlers canoeing in the US and Canada). I even purchased a canoe several years ago and frequently canoe with my wife and two kids, making memories and enjoying the great outdoors.

One trip that Bevington would frequently tell me about was his trip canoeing on the Boundary Waters between the US and Canada. This is a trip that I dream of and hope to take one day so that I can experience the beauty that he often described.