About
Nature Education Society of Tennessee (NEST) was created by Leslie Anne (Rawlings) Allen and is operated by Leslie and her husband, Jason Allen. They are based in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.
Leslie Anne Allen
Leslie Anne was introduced to wildflower identification and elementary education at an early age, being influenced by her grandmothers. This led her to choose a degree in Environmental Interpretation and attend The Ohio State University. Upon graduation she “cut her teeth” as a naturalist in the Columbus Metro Parks.
In 1995, she moved to Nashville and eventually worked as a tour guide at Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame, as a volunteer director at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, as an interpreter at Shiloh National Military Park, and as a ranger at Stones River National Battlefield. She then spent 21 years working for Tennessee State Parks as a ranger and interpreter, and was responsible for creating the first Story Trail in the state park system.
In 2016 she earned the Certified Heritage Interpreter certification through the National Association for Interpretation, becoming one of the handful of environmental educators in Tennessee to receive this honor. Since 2018, she also has been teaching a popular wildflower identification class. Leslie Anne is passionate about connecting people of all ages to discover the natural resources of Tennessee.
Jason Allen
Jason is a Nashville native who grew up roaming and exploring the woods beside Percy Priest Lake. He loved floating Stones River with his father and planting flowers with his grandmother. As a naturalist and wilderness guide, he has led interpretive programs for such groups as the Tennessee Native Plant Society, TennGreen Land Conservancy, Sierra Club, Outdoor Murfreesboro, and Tennessee Trails Association. He's also worked on special projects for such organizations as Missouri Botanical Garden, Tennessee Division of Natural Areas, and AmeriCorps.
While working for Tennessee State Parks, he created park events and nature festivals, interpretive programs, flora & fauna brochures, newsletters, website content, and interpretive signs. In 2008 he created Couchville Lake Arboretum, which became the first state-certified arboretum in Tennessee State Parks.
Jason has a special interest in cedar glade habit, and he maintains the Hip Cedar Glades of TN Facebook page. He is also a frequent contributor to Tennessee Conservationist magazine. His writing and photography have appeared in numerous books, newspapers and magazines. Jason is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University.
A few photos of Leslie Anne and Jason through the years leading interpretive programs and working on various projects. Click on photos for more info...
