Women Who Shape the Plateau: Sonya Carpenter

Written By: Ann Self | Issue: Winter - 2023 | Photograph By: Susan Renfro

Sonya Carpenter and Sarah Jennings

In an era of cell phone addiction, climate change, and hurry affliction, we can become distracted and unsettled. 

Sonya Carpenter is dedicated to helping people reclaim a sense of balance with the world that surrounds them.

“Even as a young child, I found solace in the natural world,” she says.  For the past 20 years living in Highlands, Sonya has regarded the beauty, complexity, and resilience of the ecosystem on the Plateau. This recognition motivates her to inform and influence others to value its conservation.

Shortly after moving here, Sonya served as the director of the Highlands Biological Foundation. She discovered many knowledgeable and equally enthusiastic people through her nine years in that position. Today, she works on projects to create natural landscapes in the area. 

“I like to say that I am an ecologist masquerading as a garden designer, but really these two passions are inextricably linked,” she says.  “If we use the natural world with its complex interaction between species of plants, insects, birds, mammals…as a model for landscapes, we can create gardens that are not only beautiful, but functional and resilient.”  

Sonya continues to be involved in community projects. She leads and speaks at various events about conservation.  She serves on the board of the Highlands Plateau Greenway to create and maintain walking trails that connect neighborhoods with natural areas. She also recently coordinated the installation of the new pollinator garden at the Highlands Biological Station.  The design features all native plants, a lakeside pavilion, and a new nature trail. She observes how the garden is appreciated daily by countless visitors. “Hundreds of students, summer campers, and garden enthusiasts now claim this space as their own,” she says.  

Charlotte Muir, Executive Director of the Highlands Biological Foundation comments that “Sonya is an infinite source of knowledge and passion for the natural world.  When she gives a lecture or leads an event, people leave with such enthusiasm to make a real change in their own landscapes to better promote our rich biodiversity.  Her work with the Highlands Biological Foundation and the Highlands Plateau Greenway has bettered our community in huge ways, especially in inspiring conservation efforts.”

Sonya believes that this is a critical time for the community to consider conservation.

“Development is inevitable,” she says, “[we] need to speak up for the protection and preservation of our natural areas.”  Through her endeavors she hopes to influence and inspire others. She asserts that we can all work together to educate new residents about how the beauty of Highlands plays a critical role in appreciating this community.

by Ann Self