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About Zack |
Zackery Zdinak, a lifelong naturalist, has been presenting educaton and naturalist
programs since graduating West Virginia University in 1980 with a BS in Wildlife
Management. He nurtured a love of wildlife and Nature as a child catching frogs and
snakes in Connecticut, later as a peripatetic Wildlife Biologist, Fire Fighter and Interpreter with US Fish & Wildlife, National
Forest and National Park Services in Utah and Arizona.
In 1998 he founded Life Drawing & Education, a company providing products and services for
informal
educators and interpreters (environmental education, interpretion and science inquiry programs, interpretive writing, retail wildlife art, custom media design). He has designed, illustrated and managed
interpretive media projects for parks, campgrounds, arboretum, public schools and non-profit clients
in several states. His wildlife art has been published in magazines and books, and
retail products sold nation wide in the USA and Canada. You can view selected media designs and clients on the Custom Illustration, Interpretive and Design Services pages (click here). Preview the more than 1200 hand drawn Wildlife Clip Art on the regional habitat pages, (click here).
Education clients and venues where Zack has taught have included Four Corners School's Bioregional Outdoor Education Project, Family Summits Inc., Museum of Northern Arizona,
Willow Bend Environmental Education Center, Flagstaff Festival of Science, Elderhostel,
National Forest and Park Service sites, public schools in CT, MA, UT and AZ, and others (see
below). He even presented for Interpretation Network New Zealand!
See his running list of Clients & Venues is below, or click here.
For details on Zack's Environmental Education & Nature Programs, see their web pages (click here).
Zack's Professional Development: An avid learner himself, Zack seeks attends workshops, trainings and webinars to keep his services up to date. See his list below or click here.
When not drawing or presenting, Zack roams the back roads, trails, rivers, and canyons
of the western states and points beyond. He draws, gardens and keeps home in Flagstaff,
Arizona.
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| Notable Programs |
In these presentations, attendees learned how to select materials, set up lessons or events, conduct facilitation and assesment, and engaged in descussion on the theories of activities.
November 23, 2013, Flagstaff, AZ
Presented “Northern Arizona Corvids and Cones”, a slide show and discussion at the Museum of Northern Arizona's Raven Festival. This slide show and discusson focused on the variations of Corvid beak shapes related to their preferred conifer cone food resource and the birds' caching methods.
February 4, 2011, Pinetop, Arizona
“Effective Signage Enhances Public Awareness and Wildlife Education", Joint Conference of AZ & NM Chapters of The Wildlife Society.
October 3, 2010, Buffalo, New York
“Helping Informal Educators Make Connections with Inquiry” A hands-on session on how to design informal education programs to include science inquiry education methods. Presented at the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) conference.
July 13 & 20, 2010, Flagstaff, Arizona
"Pros & Cons of Scientific Illustration" Interactive exploration of the advantages of hand rendered art and graphics in science presented to the students of e-GIRLS (e-tools for Girls Investigating Real Life Sciences), NEXUS Math/Science project, Northern Arizona University.
March 20 & 21, 2010, Philladelphia, Pennsylvania
"Engaging Classroom Science Centers for the Young Learners, K-1" and
"Notebooking: Scientific Illustrations with Kindergartners", co-presented with Andrea Andretta at the National Science Teachers Association conference.
Sept. 12, 2009, Rotarua, New Zealand
“Interpretive Signage Goes American Idol”
Instruction on the basics of wayside sign design using satire of TV show. Presented at "Some Like It Hot" joint conference of Interpretive Network of New Zealand and Interpretation Association of Australia.
March 7-8, 2009, Blanding, Utah
"Guided Inquiry: Nature Observation & Drawing with Kindergarteners"
and "Bird of Prey: Predator Scene Investigator"
How to set up and facilitate Inquiry Science Method lessons. Presented at the Bioregional Outdoor Education Project Conference, Four Corners School of Outdoor Education.
February 28, 2009, San Diego, California
"Adapting Interp for Quality Senior Interpretive Moments"
Interactive review of population statistics, then discussion of potential site and program changes needed for an anticipated increase in visitors and employees over 60 years of age (ie: Baby Boomers) presented at the 2009 NAI Region 8 Workshop, San Diego Museum of Natural History.
October 18, 2008, Albuquerque, New Mexico
“Kindergarten Inquiry and Formative Assessment”, How to impliment Inquiry Method and Formative Assessments in pre-school curriculum, co-presented with Andrea Andretta at New Mexico Science Teachers Association (NMSTA) Workshop, University of New Mexico.
September 20, 2008, Camp Verde, Arizona
“How to Design & Conduct Investigative Nature Programs”, a hand-on demonstration for djusting informal education programs to include science inquiry methods. Arizona Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) workshop under the cottonwoods at Montezuma Castle National Monument outdoor picnic area (complete with the din of cicadas overhead!).
May 5-6, 2008, Flagsgtaff, Arizona
"Interpretation for Educators", co-taught with Roy Simpson, National Park Service.
Twelve hour training on interpretive program development: goals, transitions, Tildens's principles, themes, multiple intelligences, analogies, universal concepts, and group practice. Co-sponsored by Arizona Association for
Environmental Education and Life Drawing & Education at the Willow Bend Environmental Education Center.
Feb. 28 - March 2, 2008, Peoria, Grand Canyon and Flagstaff, Arizona
“Interpretive Signage Goes American Idol”
Assisted and sponsored visiting interpreter Ken Porteous, Manitoba Parks, Winnipeg, Canada.
Instruction on the basics of wayside sign design using a game show satire. Presented at Grand Canyon National Park, Museum of Northern Arizona and NAI Region 5 Workshop at Lake Pleasant.
November 8, 2007, Wichita, Kansas
"Handling Difficult People", facilitated round-table discussion at the National Association for Interpretation 2007 National Workshop.
April 14, 2007, Dickinson, North Dakota
"Interpreting Permaculture and Gardening" with adapted Joseph Cornell activities,
and "Handling Difficult People" facilitated round table discussion at the NAI Region 5 Workshop.
October 6, 2006, White Point, Nova Scotia, Canada
"Hoo-Hoo-Hoo Goes there!?" Outdoor evening program roving attendees during the evening Lantern Festival at the "Salt of the Earth" joint confernece of Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication (EECOM) and Interpretation Canada on the grounds of White Point Beach Resort.
August 8 & 30, 2006, Flagstaff, Arizona
"Everybody Counts" and "Material World" human population activities training for
Willow Bend Environmental Education Center's new staff, conducted with a biology class at Flagstaff High School.
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| Clients and Venues |
Zack's presentations range from environmental education programs like Project WET to scientific illustration, bird walks to custom interpretive nature slide shows in campgrounds and conducting interpretive and science inquiry trainings. Program details are available upon request.
• Raven Festival, Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ
• Peaks School field trip to Mt. Elden Environmental Study Area (ESA), Flagstaff, AZ
• Arizona Water Festivals, ASU - Project WET, Flagstaff and Cottonwood, AZ
• Public Lands Interpretive Association, Kaibab National Forest, Williams, AZ
• Sechrist Elementary School feild trip to Grand Canyon National Park, Flagstaff, AZ
• White Mountain Wildlife & Nature Center, Pinetop, AZ
• Bioregional Outdoor Education Project, Blanding, UT
• Montoya Recreation Center, Flagstaff, AZ
• Science Experience, Cochise Community College, Sierra Vista, AZ
• Buffalo Park, Flagstaff, AZ
• Joint Conference of AZ & NM Chapters of The Wildlife Society, Pinetop, AZ
• Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Scottsdale, AZ
• The Wild Place (Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks), Tupper Lake, NY
• North American Association for Environmental Education Conference, Buffalo, NY
• Sedona Middle School, Snowbowl Ski Area, San Francisco Peaks, AZ
• Audubon Round Up, Saguaro Lake Ranch, Saguaro Lake, AZ
• Bushmaster Park, Flagstaff, AZ
• White Mts. Audubon Campout, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, AZ
• Science Experience, Cochise Community College, Sierra Vista, AZ
• Buffalo Park, Flagstaff, AZ
• National Park Service, Cosnino, AZ
• Joint Conference of AZ & NM Chapters of The Wildlife Society, Pinetop, AZ
• North American Association for Environmental Education, Buffalo, New York
• Flagstaff Gymnastics Center, Flagstaff, AZ
• eGIRLS, Nexus Program, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
• Arizona Association for Environmental Education Conference, Flagstaff, AZ
• National Science Teachers Association, Philladelphia, PA
• Northern Arizona Audubon Society, Flagstaff & Sedona, AZ
• White Mountains Audubon Society, Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ
• Morman Lake Lodge, Mormon Lake, AZ
• NAI National Workshop, Hartford, CT
• Interpretive Network of New Zealand, Rotarua, New Zealand
• Sander Street School, Athol, MA
• NAI Region 8 Workshop, Museum of Natural History, San Diego, CA
• Arizona Association for Environmental Education, Camp Verde, AZ
• Family Summits Inc., Black Mountain, NC
• Flagstaff Sustainabilty Fair, Ft. Tuthill County Fairgrounds, Coconino County, AZ
• NAI Region 8 Workshop, Desert Outdoor Center, Lake Pleasant Reg. Park, Peoria, AZ
• Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, Cottonwood, AZ
• Teen Maze, Coconino County Health Department, Flagstaff, AZ
• NAI National Workshop, Witchita, KS
• Child Discovery, Goodsend Recreation Center, Centennial, CO
• Walnut Hills Elementary School, Centennial, CO
• NAI Region 5 Workshop, Dickinson, ND
• Yavapai Elderhostel, Grand Canyon Caverns, Peach Springs, AZ
• Land Between the Lakes Nat. Rec. Area, Golden Pond, KY
• "Salt of the Earth", joint National Conference of Canadian Network for
Environmental Communication and Education (EECOM), Interpretation Canada (IC), and
Nova Scotia Environmental Network, White Point, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Flagstaff High School, Flagstaff, AZ
• Northern Arizona Audubon Society, Flagstaff, AZ
• Family Summit 2006, National Wildlife Federation, Snowbird, UT
• Marshall Magnet Elementary School, Flagstaff, AZ
• Upward Bound Program, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
• Grand Canyon Middle School, Grand Canyon Village, AZ
• Fedonia Middle School, Fredonia, AZ
• Moccosin Grade School, Moccosin, AZ
• Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy, Flagstaff, AZ
• Flagstaff Festival of Science, Flagstaff, AZ
• Flagstaff Public Library, Flagstaff, AZ
• Athol Bird and Nature Club, Athol, MA
• Silver Lake School, Athol, MA
• Earth Day Festival, Wheeler Park, Flagstaff, AZ
• Yuma Birding & Nature Festival, Yuma, AZ
• Flagstaff Montessori School, Flagstaff, AZ
• Willow Bend Env. Education Center, NRCD, Flagstaff, AZ
• Thomas Elementary School, Flagstaff, AZ
• Kaibab National Forest, Williams, AZ
• Williams Middle School, Williams, AZ
• Leave No Trace, Bushmaster Park, Flagstaff, AZ
• Jump Start Program, Francis Short Pond, Flagstaff, AZ
• Cromer Elementary School, Flagstaff, AZ
• Sechrist Elementary School, Flagstaff, AZ
• Coconino Parks & Recreation Department, Kachina Village, AZ
• Leupp Public School, Leupp, AZ
• Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ
• Coconino National Forest, Flagstaff, AZ
• Yavapai Elderhostel, Yavapai College, Prescott, AZ
• Dixie College, St. George, UT
• Arches National Park, Moab, UT
• Moab Elementary School, Moab, UT
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| Zack's Professional Development |
My professional development, trainings, conferences, tours, lectures, University classes and degree that have all contributed to my understanding of nature, and skills in interpretation and education.
2014
• (scheduled) Bioregional Outdoor Education Project, Blanding, UT
2013
• The Math and Science Experience at Cochise College, Sierra Vista, AZ
• Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood, PLT training, Utah Society of Environmental Education, Lehi, UT
• Bioregional Outdoor Education Project, Blanding, UT
• Forestry lectures (cottonwood genetics, climate change), Northern AZ Univ., Flagstaff, AZ
• Tamarisk Coalition & River Management Society Conference, Grand Junction, CO
• Business workshops, Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NACET), Flagstaff, AZ
• Calvin Terrell, Diversity Lecture, Social Centric Training & Consulting, Flagstaff, AZ
2012
• Bioregional Outdoor Education Project, Monticello, UT
• Flagstaff Youth Gardens Teachers Workshop, Flagstaff Food Link, Flagstaff AZ
• Forestry lectures (cottonwood genetics, climate change), Northern AZ Univ., Flagstaff, AZ
• Wildlife For Tomorrow webinar, Arizona Game & Fish Department
• National Science Teachers Association Regional Conference, Phoenix , AZ
2011
• The Math and Science Experience at Cochise College, Sierra Vista, AZ
• Joint Conference of AZ & NM Chapters of The Wildlife Society, Pinetop, AZ
• Interpretation Canada Online Conference
2010
• Online International Conference, Interpretation
Canada (IC)
• Audubon Round-Up, Saguaro Lake Ranch, Saguaro Lake, AZ
• North American Association for Environmental Education, Buffalo, NY
• Arizona Association for Environmental Education Conference, Flagstaff, AZ
• National Science Teachers Association, Philladelphia, PA
• Parks & Rec. online class, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
2009
• Bioregional Outdoor Education Project, Blanding, UT
• NAI Region 8 Workshop, San Diego, CA
• Sharing Nature Workshop with Greg Traymar, San Diego, CA
• "Some Like It Hot!" Conference of the Interpretive Network of New Zealand and Interpretation Association of Australia, Rotarua, New Zealand
• Online International Conference, Interpretation
Canada (IC)
2008
• Inquiry Education Method Training (35 hrs), Connecticut Science Center, Stamford, CT
• Formative Assessment Training (35 hrs), Connecticut Science Center, East Hartford, CT
• 2008 World Expo, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain.
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“Spicing Up Interpretation”, NAI Region 8, Lake Pleasant Regional Park, Peoria, AZ
2007
• Inquiry Education Method (7 hrs) and Understanding By Design (7 hrs), Center for Teacher Success (formerly Arizona Foundation for Resource Education), Flagstaff, AZ
Family Summits Inc., Black Mountain, NC
Joybee Tours and Steve Devine Tours, Galapagos National Park, Ecuador
NAI Region 5 Workshop, Dickinson, ND
Richard Louv lecture, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ
2006
"Salt of the Earth", joint National Conference
of Canadian Network for Environmental Communication and Education (EECOM), Interpretation
Canada (IC), and Nova Scotia Environmental Network
at White Point, Nova Scotia, Canada
Family Summit, National Wildlife Federation, Snowbird, UT
Arizona Association for Environmental Education (AAZEE), outdoors at the Montezuma Well Picnic Area, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Camp
Verde, AZ
NAI Region 4 Workshop, Holland, MI
Christopher Howard’s "Breakthrough to Success" seminar, San Jose, CA
NAI Region 8, Red Rock Canyon (BLM), NV
The Wildlife Society, AZ/NM Chapter Conference, Flagstaff, AZ
Our Places Tell Stories interpretive workshop, UNLV, Las Vegas, NV: Meaning Making
(Sam Ham); Planning Interp Media (David Guine, NPS); Problem Audiences
2005
Project WET's "Discover A Watershed" (Colorado River) training, Durango, CO
Sharing Nature Workshop with Joseph Cornell, Prescott Nat. Forest,
AZ
• Sharing Nature Workshop with Joseph Cornell, Dersert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, AZ
2004
Natural Resource History lectures, Riordan State Historic Park, Flagstaff, AZ
The Wildlife Society, AZ/NM Chapter Conference, Safford, AZ
NAI Region 6 Workshop, Blue Springs, MO
NAI Region 5 Workshop, Nebraska City, NE
NAU Region 1 Workshop, Fairlee, VT
Yuma Birding & Nature Festival, Yuma, AZ
Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, Cottonwood, AZ
Environmental Sustainability lecture (Hunter Lovins), NAU, Flagstaff, AZ
Calvin Terrell, Social Centric Training & Consulting, Diversity Training, Flagstaff,
AZ
Arizona Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) Annual Workshop, Payson,
AZ
2003
Leave No Trace workshop, Flagstaff, AZ
Utah Trails and Pathways Conference, St. George, UT
NAI National Workshop, Reno, NV
Arizona Association for Environmental Education (AAEE), Flagstaff, AZ
1997-2000
The Wildlife Society, AZ/NM Chapter Meeting, Sierra Vista, AZ
NAI National Workshop, Tucson, AZ
NAI Region 6 Workshop, Oklahoma City, OK
• Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, Flagstaff, AZ
Project Learning Tree, Enviromental Education Library, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
Project WILD, Flagstaff, AZ
• Sunset Toastmasters, Toastmasters International, Flagstaff, AZ
Project WET: Native Fish, Arizona Game & Fish Dept., Flagstaff, AZ
Watchable Wildlife Conference, Casper, WY
Western Region Interpretive Skills Training (WRIST), NAI, Colorado Springs, CO
Sam Ham workshop, Albright Training Center, Grand Canyon, AZ
1980
Wildlife Management B.S.,WVU, Morgantown, WV
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