Robin Patten

The natural world has always been central to Robin’s life. At an early age, she was out exploring the Montana backcountry, learning natural history through experience. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in landscape ecology from Colorado State University, followed by an M.S. in Environmental Writing from the University of Montana and a Post-Graduate Diploma from Scotland’s Centre for Mountain Studies. Her studies included environmental history and cultural geography, and her work often focuses on the interactions between cultures and landscapes. Robin still lives in Montana, writing and working from a small cabin near Yellowstone National Park.

Robin has traveled in several continents, always considering how interactions of time, people, and place shaped the landscapes she encounters. Her interests include international topics of conservation and biodiversity, and her knowledge stretches across diverse subjects, from native woodlands to sustainable rural communities. Scotland has become one of Robin’s frequent destinations. She has studied, volunteered, and traveled extensively throughout Scotland, and delved into that country’s environmental history from Neolithic times onward.
 
Robin enjoys experiencing the world on foot. She’s walked thousands of miles in several countries, from Norway to New Zealand, connecting with landscapes, people, and communities along the way. Robin also enjoys sharing the sense of discovery and learning that comes from exploring new places—on foot or by other means of transportation.