About Nature Abounds

Nature Abounds™ was formed in 2008 by co-founders Melinda Hughes-Wert and James Wert, along with some of their mentors from around the country. Nature Abounds was formed to encourage volunteerism and environmental stewardship, along with community values and an overall knowledge of natural landscape around us. Since inception, Nature Abounds has launched two opportunities successfully across the country, IceWatch USA and Watch the Wild, and is now preparing to launch a new program, the Going Green Corps. .

Nature Abounds pilots and manages its programs from the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania. The Allegheny Mountains have long been known for natural resources.  The timber and coal industries spurred the local economies, but this was only temporary and now economically depressed towns as well as scarred land and watersheds are abundant. Drilling for oil and natural gas are still prevalent throughout the area and are now scarring the land historically set aside for tourism interests, one of the remaining livelihoods of Pennsylvanians.  Nature Abounds works with the local officials and citizens to address these problems. 

Finally, future plans of Nature Abounds™ include acquiring land and building a Nature Center along the Interstate-80 corridor, allowing for maximum impact of our programs in the local community, serving as a role model for "green building" and "environmental stewardship".  This location will also serve as the National Headquarters and Training Center for Nature Abounds™.