Leslie Patten grew up in Hollywood, completing her schooling in Northern California at UC Santa Cruz. For the next thirty years, she honed her knowledge of the ecology of the Bay Area, especially in the field of practical botany. This included growing produce and flower gardens, designing landscapes, keeping bees, and studying native plant ecosystems. Over time her naturalist training broadened to include preparing wildlife specimens of museum quality, assisting on spotted owl, wolf, elk and grizzly bear studies, as well as wildlife tracking. Her knowledge of tracking, wildlife, and native plants of the West greatly enhances her ability to create successful designs and wildlife gardens. Her garden design work has been featured in many tours, including the prestigious Garden Conservancy and Mill Valley Outdoor Art and Garden Center. Following her passion to spend more time in wild areas with the full array of wildlife, she now splits her time between her remote cabin next to Yellowstone National Park and the Bay Area. Her ongoing blog can be seen at www.thehumanfootprint.wordpress.com. Her business website with photos of many jobs can be viewed at www.ecoscapes.net.