Steve Tapia describes himself as a small-town boy from Taos, New Mexico. Graduating from NMSU with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Wildlife Science in 1987, he began his 27-year wildlife career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Cooperative Education student in Princeton, Minnesota working as a Refuge Manager Trainee. The next work phase was as a manager in Trempeauleau, Wisconsin, and then to Yuma, Arizona. After that, his service to wildlife took him to the U.S. Forest Service in the Wallowa Valley, Hells Canyon, and Eagle Cap Wilderness Areas in Oregon; then on to 17 years in the Pikes Peak Ranger District of Colorado Springs; and lastly Flagstaff, Arizona. Those years were the toughest job he ever loved. He retired from government service in 2010. Now, back in his home town, he writes a weekly column about nature for The Taos News.
Steve’s motto is “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life”!
Teaching people about wildlife and nature is in “in my blood.” That is the reason for De La Tierra: The Natural World of Northern New Mexico. I truly hope you will enjoy the book! — Steve
