Meet Jessica Ullyott | Author and founder of Nature Needs SD

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Ullyott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
First and foremost I am a full-time mom. I have two lovely boys (6) and (4) who are wonderful adventurers and curious thinkers. I really have learned this last year that I need to schedule specific times for me to “work” instead of just doing a little bit of it all day long. I do most of my work on my phone which means I need to turn off notifications and really force myself to stop working when I am with my family. I am very proud of the work I do with Nature Needs SD, but my kids are truly my legacy, so the time I spend with them is infinitely more important.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets me apart is how I serve as a hub for everything related to environmental, and sustainability in the county of San Diego. I create a calendar every month with every environmental stewardship opportunity I can find for San Diego County and repost outdoor, nature-based events that are happening weekly. I started this because, when I was researching different organizations during my master’s program, I learned about all of these great opportunities, but there was no place to find information about all of them. I decided to be that place. I have learned that this is a team effort. All these organizations and myself are working together to help San Diegans develop a sense of place and desire to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Since creating Nature Needs SD, I have also written a book which will be available through Barnes & Noble online. It is titled: Intentional – A holistic approach to building and maintaining a sustainable lifestyle. Part of the proceeds will go to benefit the San Diego River Park Foundation!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are so many amazing natural places to visit in San Diego! Many people don’t know that San Diego County is the MOST biodiverse county in the contiguous U.S! I would start in Mission Trails Regional Park. At 7,220 acres, it is the largest park in San Diego and one of the largest urban parks in the U.S. I love exploring the natural space and learning about the native flora, fauna and especially the Kumeyaay. This is the ancestral home of the Kumeyaay people and they have a rich history which can be seen when walking trough the park. Next I would go to Torrey Pines Natural Reserve. It is amazing to see this rich and unique ecosystem that cannot be seen anywhere else. Lastly, I would go up to the Cuyamaca Mountains. It is a wonderful place to feel like you are far away from the city, when in reality you can get there in only a few hours. The tall pine trees sound like they are singing to you when the wind passes through them. It’s a truly beautiful place.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a tough question, because there are so many people who are responsible for the success of Nature Needs SD… Organizations like San Diego Brewcycling Collaborative, Sustainability is Sexy, and individuals like Maricruz Carrillo of Menos Waste, Erika Rodriguez of Nadi Marketing really helped to encourage me to keep doing what I’m doing. A really special person is Terena Gardner of Motherhoodonpurpose. She invited me into her home and helped me learn the ins and outs of Instagram and define my intentions as a creator. The real inspiration comes from individuals who I meet that let me know that they go to events and learn something new because of my content. It is really nice to know that what I am doing is making a difference.

Website: https://www.natureneedssd.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nature.needs.sd/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-ullyott-399a192a3

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nature.Needs.SD/?_rdr