Sophie Frazee, Special to The Denisonian
For many Denison students, wild-life on campus might mean spotting a deer on the way to class or hearing birds outside your dorm window.
For the new leaders of the Wildlife Conservation Club, Natalie Azar ‘28 and Lee Winkler ‘28, those encounters represent an opportunity to build a deeper connection with the natural
world.
This year, the club hopes to encourage students to pay closer attention to the wildlife surrounding them and recognize the importance of protecting it.
Azar and Winkler hope to do this through educational events, fundraisers and opportunities to explore the 350 acres of the Denison University Biological Reserve. Rather than focusing solely on conservation as an abstract environmental issue, the club wants students to have hands-
on experiences that help them better understand the wildlife around themand develop a greater appreciation for the natural world.
“We are trying to get people interested in the wildlife around them, and also fundraising for the wildlife that is not around them through activities and education,” Azar said.
For Azar, conservation begins with recognizing what is around you. She believes that learning to identify the plants and animals students encounter can create a personal relationship with the environment and make them more likely to care about protecting it.
“You’re more likely to care if you can tell the difference between ‘this is just a big tree’ versus a 60-year-old honey locust,” she said. “That gives you a relationship with it because you’re going to notice that and acknowledge it, just like when you learn someone’s name.”
The two became interested in wildlife long before taking on their roles in the club. Both are avid birdwatchers, and their shared interest initially led them to consider starting a birdng club. When they discovered there was no space for another club, last year’s Wildlife Conservation Club
presidents, Megan Conway ‘26 and Colleen Kearns ‘26, approached them about taking over the organization.
“I didn’t get into birdwatching until about sophomore year of high school when I saw my ‘spark bird,’ the American Goldfinch,” Winkler said. “It just takes one meaningful connection to start an interest in learning more about the world around us.”
The transition quickly became something they were excited about. Over the summer, Azar and Winkler exchanged ideas about potential events and initiatives as they prepared to lead the club. One of their major goals this year is getting more students into the Bio Reserve, particularly those whose academic programs do not regularly bring them there.
“I think that it is something that makes Denison so unique that we have just acres upon acres of land that are virtually untouched for us to explore,” Azar said.
Beyond educational events, the club plans to hold fundraisers, including a Valentine’s Day fundraiser benefiting the World Wildlife Fund.
Azar and Winkler also hope to establish volunteer opportunities and connections with conservation organizations outside Denison. For now, however, they are focused on build-
ing a strong foundation for the club and increasing student involvement on campus.
Azar and Winkler also want students to broaden their understanding of what constitutes wildlife worth protecting. Conservation, they said, should not focus only on animals that people traditionally find cute or appealing. Plants, fungi, fish, reptiles and insects all play important roles in ecosystems, even if they receive less attention.
“Insects are particularly deserving of greater appreciation,” Azar said.
She pointed to butterflies and their dependence on specific host plants as an example of how interconnected ecosystems are. Monarch butterflies, for instance, rely on milkweed which has been steadily dwindling across the country for years, likely due to genetically modified crops and herbicide use, demonstrating how even seemingly small actions can affect an entire species.
Ultimately, Azar and Winkler hope conservation becomes less about viewing nature as something separate from human life and more about recognizing that people are part of the natural world. By the end of the year, they hope members leave with both a greater knowledge of wildlife and a stronger sense of community. They want the club to be a place where stu-
dents can learn about nature, meet people with similar interests and develop their own connections to the environment.
“I am also a big believer that human beings are social creatures, and that we need a sense of community,” Azar said. “If we can provide that for students on campus, people who we
start out the year strangers with and become friends with by the end of everything, that would make me unbelievably happy.”
For students interested in joining, no prior knowledge or regular attendance is required. Members can come and go as their schedules allow, with the goal of making the club an enjoyable space rather than another stressful commitment.
Winkler said, if you’re thinking about joining the Wildlife Conservation Club: “Do it!”