Volunteer Spotlight: Inga

I've had the pleasure of working alongside a handful of superb collections volunteers over the past couple years. Each contribute invaluable insight and energy into the work we do at the Museum. This week, we'll learn a bit more about enthusiastic contributor, Inga. 

In your own words, tell us about your volunteer work at the Cable Natural History Museum, and how you became involved.

I first became involved with volunteering at the Cable Natural History Museum after completing the Wisconsin Master Naturalist Volunteer training last summer. Prior to the training, I had participated in several of the awesome education opportunities provided through the Museum, and i just kept feeling like I simply couldn't get enough of the classes, dinner lectures, and weekend courses. With a goal of becoming more involved with the Museum and the larger naturalist community, I completed the training, and started looking for ways to combine my interests with opportunities to volunteer at the Museum.

It didn’t take long before Mollie offered a Native Plant Pressing 101 course, and bingo! My background includes studying library science and archival preservation, as well as a long stint working in the natural foods industry as an herb buyer. Because I’m so fascinated with native plants, medicinal herbs, and archival preservation, I often feel like I could duck my head into the herbarium specimens and catalog all day without noticing time passing. 

Can you describe a favorite museum specimen, display, or exhibit? It doesn't have to be from the Cable Natural History Museum!

Working with the herbarium collections has been fascinating, and the number and range of specimens is really remarkable. I learn at least ten new things about local native plant life every time I volunteer! Not only has this experience allowed me to use my cataloging skills, but I am developing new skills within each area of the herbarium life cycle of a specimen: from collection, identification, and mounting to cataloging and preserving.

At the moment, though, my favorite museum residents are Emory [Great Plain's Rat Snake] and Digger [Western Hognose Snake]. Since I can remember, I’ve had a true phobia of snakes. One day last summer, Haley posted a photo on social media of Emory outside in the grass at the Museum, and described Emory as “cute”. This shift in perspective (it had never dawned on me that snakes could be considered "cute”) has given me a different understanding about how I could build a new relationship with snakes built on compassion for another fellow member of the natural world. Since then, I’ve been visiting Emory and Digger (still from a safe distance, but working ever closer), and I must say, I’ve grown quite fond of searching for and finding them in their homes when I stop in to say “hi” (Yes, I actually talk to them). I am very thankful to Haley for sharing her work with the live animals, and for giving me a new perspective!

What are some of your hobbies/interests involving the natural world? What would you like to learn or what new skills would you like to develop?

Working with the herbarium collections has been fascinating, and the number and range of specimens is really remarkable. I learn at least ten new things about local native plant life every time I volunteer! Not only has this experience allowed me to use my cataloging skills, but I am developing new skills within each area of the herbarium life cycle of a specimen: from collection, identification, and mounting to cataloging and preserving.

At the moment, though, my favorite museum residents are Emory and Digger. Since I can remember, I’ve had a true phobia of snakes. One day last summer, Haley posted a photo on social media of Emory outside in the grass at the museum, and described Emory as “cute”. This shift in perspective (it had never dawned on me that snakes could be considered "cute”) has given me a different understanding about how I could build a new relationship with snakes built on compassion for another fellow member of the natural world. Since then, I’ve been visiting Emory and Digger (still from a safe distance, but working ever closer), and I must say, I’ve grown quite fond of searching for and finding them in their homes when I stop in to say “hi” (Yes, I actually talk to them). I am very thankful to Haley for sharing her work with the live animals, and for giving me a new perspective! 

What's one thing you wish everyone knew about the Museum or our collection?

I wish that everyone knew what a gem resides in wonderful little Cable, WI. The staff and friends of the Cable Natural History Museum are, to me, an endless font of knowledge about and passion for the natural world.

Thanks, Inga!