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20 APRIL HER
 Charmed by nature
Local Master Naturalist encourages finding beauty, gratitude ‘wherever you are’
Story by Grace Brown, photography by Kai Coggin
Even if people haven’t had the chance to travel, and they think that they’re stuck here, I would tell them, from a Master Nat- uralist’s point of view, they are in one of the most miraculous
places on earth. They could really learn to appreciate where they are,” says Diamond Lakes Arkansas Master Naturalist Joann Saraydarian
“And that’s the secret in life, gratitude, and appreciation for wher- ever you are. If you have that, suddenly, it opens yourself up to the treasures. That’s the key that unlocks the joy of life, gratitude.”
The Wisconsinite transplant’s unique philosophy and approach to the world led her to the Spa City seven years ago, seeking a return to her roots and a more sustainable way of living. Now one of Arkansas’ certified Master Naturalists, Saraydarian uses her knowledge of the local flora and fauna to show the planet her gratitude and educate the public on how they can keep the Natural State in its natural state.
Growing up, she spent time with her family at their home in Wisconsin, learning how to appreciate the beauty of nature and all it offers. As one of eight children, Saraydarian says her parents would take regular hikes and forage for wild asparagus with the family. Al- though poor, Saraydarian says she never noticed “because (they) had so much love and so much sharing of beauty and fun things.”
However, her environment abruptly shifted when she became an orphan at 14 years old. Saraydarian moved to Hollywood, Calif., and from there, she says she “was on (her) own pretty early in life.”
“Well, my background is, it’s like several lifetimes. They have so many chapters,” she said.
“I had my apartment in high school. Then I went to college, and I majored in psychology and art. Then I worked in the film industry in Hollywood for a while. From there, I moved to Sedona, Ariz. and I had an art school and a graphic design business. ... I was counseling and lecturing throughout the U.S. and some and sometimes in Europe.”
When Saraydarian’s husband died and her “wonderful marriage” of 25 years ended, she found herself seeking another new chapter in life. Saraydarian moved to Houston and quickly began advocating for youths in the inner city. She spent much of her time “in the hood,” trying to find the pulse of the youths so she could determine how to meet their needs from a counseling standpoint.
“I needed to get out of the country setting because it was difficult, you know, to get over. But it’s interesting, in my life, every time some- thing so-called tragic, like a crisis happens, doors of opportunity open for me,” she said. “My life, looking at it, could seem very difficult, but to me, I feel like I have had the luckiest life and the most beautiful life ever. I mean, I am so grateful for everything that has happened in my life.
“One of the things I’ve been so grateful for is wherever moved to Houston. I did a lot of world traveling, and as I look back now, I can see it was to find someone to share my life with for the rest of my life. And fortune would have it; I found Kai (Coggin).”
Saraydarian and her partner spent time together in Houston, en- riching their community from within. Their dedication and passion for reaching youths brought them closer together, and the pair even- tually decided to retreat to the country for a more organic experience.
“My early childhood was just filled with the beauty of nature,” Saraydarian said. “And well, you know, they say you can take someone out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of them. And so I looked for the most beautiful place to find; the purest.
“And I visited Hot Springs, and I said, ‘this is it.’ And fortunately, Kai was so also so enthused about it. And so was my nephew, my best friend who I helped raise while his mother was getting her degrees. He came with his fiancee, so the four of us trekked forth and came to Hot Springs and started a completely new life and focused around nature.”
Two years after moving, Saraydarian and her nephew embarked on a new adventure and began taking the courses necessary to be- come a Master Naturalist. Part of the way through the 40-hour course, Saraydarian’s nephew branched off to become a Master Gardner, while she continued to put in hours in both the classroom and the field toward becoming a Master Naturalist.
According to their website, Arkansas Master Naturalists focus on being “volunteer educators, citizen scientists, and stewards of the
   














































































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