Velan Natarajan.

Name the event and Velan (accompanied by his mother or father) is always there to help us talk about Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. Since 2024, he has volunteered with us at the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival, Loudoun Appalachian Trail Festival and the Bluemont Fair. Additionally, he volunteers at the Native Plant Sales and the Big Sit bird counts at Algonkian Regional Park. Velan’s outgoing personality and enthusiasm never fail to engage people as he talks about our programs, invites people to sign up for our monthly email newsletter, and/or sells quilt raffle tickets.

Velan began volunteering with us at the December 2023 Christmas Bird Count. The following spring he became a bluebird monitor on the Zephaniah Farm Vineyard Trail, and this year he started monitoring one of the Banshee Reeks trails too. His love for nature extends to being a boy scout and participating in programs through Scouting America geared to middle- and high school-aged students.

Velan’s favorite things in nature are camping, backpacking and scuba diving. He told us:

As a boy scout, I went on high adventure trips: Philmont and Sea Base. Philmont is a scouting ranch located in New Mexico, and it’s known for its mountainous terrain (because of the Rockies). I went to Philmont last year with my friends and it was great, we did a 45-mile trek. I also went to Sea Base this spring break. My Sea Base was in the Florida Keys, and I did my first open-water dives there. The coral there was truly beautiful and it’s an experience I will never forget.

When asked why he loves to be in nature, Velan said “…taking a break from education and screens is just great to do, connecting with your friends on a long hiking trip is also great.”

Many thanks to Velan, and to all our volunteers, for taking time away from their computer and cell phone screens to help us engage people to create a Loudoun where people and wildlife thrive together.

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