Sheri Saari

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Sheri tagged along on family hiking outings in the Columbia River Gorge where she forged a deep connection to wilderness. Throughout her youth, Sheri spent summers on the salty shores of the Salish Sea and found her big smile among old growth cedar, seabirds, and silver salmon. Her love of nature and exploration inspired travel to Grand Teton National Park and the Himalayas and sparked further interest in adventure travel and ecology. This led Sheri to leading wilderness expeditions for youth throughout Washington, Hawaii, Australia and Fiji.

 Sheri studied at the Huxley College for the Environment at Western Washington University. From her very first biological field season monitoring marbled murrelets in Puget Sound, she knew she was destined to live a life intimately connected to the outdoors. In 1999, Sheri departed Washington's rain-drenched forests for the tropics in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Soon, she discovered yet another very wet place on the planet: the Garden Island of Kaua’i, a place she has called home ever since.

A skilled and inspiring environmental educator, Sheri taught forest and stream ecology at Olympic Park Institute and worked for many years as an interpretive and environmental education ranger with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. Sheri's keen interest in protecting seabirds and marine mammals led her to begin collecting marine debris and to found the Kauai Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental non-profit dedicated to ocean and beach protection. As much as possible, Sheri seeks out opportunities to travel, study, and reach the most remote wild places. In 2009, she traveled to the distant atolls of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands where she lived alone conducting research on nesting Hawaiian green sea turtles at a remote field camp on East Island, French Frigate Shoals.

Sheri also cares about people and strives to provide a rich and meaningful life-changing experience for every guest. She is a seasoned guide who has led adventure trips to a multitude of destinations including Yellowstone, Glacier, and North Cascades national parks, the San Juan Islands, Alaska and Colorado. Autumn brings Sheri to the western shores of Hudson Bay to share one of nature's greatest miracles—the annual polar bear migration—with guests of Natural Habitat Adventures. An accomplished naturalist, Sheri thrives while sharing her passion for nature and sense of wonder with learners of all ages.

Upcoming Adventures with Sheri:
Polar Bears Of Churchill

Praise from Nat Hab travelers:

S. Herman
"Sheri was outstanding! Her energy level never wavered and she always kept everyone in the loop as to what we needed to do, where we needed to be and when, along with letting us know what to expect so we could plan accordingly. She was enthusiastic and fun to be around! I had one special request that was not easy to handle, yet she took care of it perfectly for me. We covered a lot of ground during our week there and thanks to her we got the most out of our experience. She was simply awesome!"

E. Ziegler
"Sheri is not only an excellent Expedition Leader, she has a wonderful personality that made traveling with her delightful. Her knowledge of flora and fauna was exceptional and it was a most delightful week learning from her."

C. Campagna
"Sheri is an awesome person and Expedition Leader. We felt blessed to have her for this adventure. She went above and beyond to assure we all had a great time. She was able to create a cohesive group from the first minute we met. As a group leader myself for the past 20 years, I would describe Sheri as a super leader!"

M. Svanberg
"Sheri was a fantastic Expedition Leader. She was knowledgeable about the polar bear anatomy, habits, evolution and interactions with their habitat. She was also well-versed in the tundra landscape and habitat from the willows to the lichen to other animals that we saw such as Arctic hare, Arctic fox, red fox and the common raven. The few questions she couldn't answer off the top of her head she looked up and answered the next day. Her energy never faltered and she readily engaged with all 16 members of our group. She really went the extra mile! Sheri was easily the best guide I've ever traveled with." 

A. Gavic
"We could not have had a better Expedition Leader. Sheri was not only the ultimate professional, but she was incredibly knowledgeable about the animals, the land and the culture. If she was unsure about something, she would say she would follow up and always did. Sheri's love and respect for the animals and her excitement in being able to share this with us was more than evident. She paid attention to every detail and did everything she could to ensure all were taken care of and that everyone had a good time. She is a gift!"

S. Brackman
"Sheri was absolutely wonderful! I had a such a wonderful time because she made every person in our group feel comfortable and she made sure that we all were involved in every part of the trip. She is very knowledgeable and passionate about the polar bears and the region. I can't say enough about her. I felt like she made this the best trip I've ever had!"

R. Gage
"Sheri was a wonderful Expedition Leader who made sure that everyone was comfortable and engaged. No detail was too small or too large for her to take care of. Our days and evenings were filled with wonderful activities and fun. We had a great group because we had a great Expedition Leader who brought out the best in everyone. I'd love to go on another trip with Sheri!"

K. Bullard
"Sheri was all that one could ask for as our Expedition Leader. Her knowledge and enthusiasm were boundless. Everyone was saying we got the best and they were so right. She was so inclusive and I was so impressed that she knew everyone's name on the first day!"

C. Vanderpool
"Sheri has so much enthusiasm and passion. She ignites everyone in the group and raises the bar on curiosity, thinking about the conflicts between humans and nature, and wanting MORE! Her depth of knowledge and explanations were superb."

R. Carter
"Sheri was outstanding! She provided us with a lot of information about bears and other wildlife, as well as geological, ecological, historical and cultural knowledge. She went out of her way to find answers to questions she didn't have an immediate answer for (which was rare). Just as important, she inspired our group with her vivacity and had an amazing ability to motivate a diverse group of people to become great friends in a very short period of time. We could not have wished for, or imagined, a better Expedition Leader. She is a wonderful human being and a great ambassador for Nat Hab."

S. Croll
"Although we rated Sheri a 10, she really deserves a higher mark. The few questions she could not answer she researched and returned with answers. Her personality and enthusiasm is extraordinary. She made sure everyone was involved in the group activities, yet accommodated individual preferences and abilities. We loved her."

K. Brasseau
"Sheri is an amazing Expedition Leader. Her genuine enthusiasm for Churchill, the people and the wildlife elevated the trip from great to epic. She loves what she does and that is infectious. Sheri was super woman from giving us all the details in our schedule for the week; sharing her vast knowledge of polar bears, the tundra and Churchill in a relatable way; to going out of her way when she could to enhance our experience."

F. Evelhoch
"We couldn't have asked for a better Expedition Leader than Sheri. Her personality is perfect for what she does and it's very obvious that she loves what she's doing. She made our group feel like we were one big happy family. She was always accessible to us, met everyone's needs and was quite accommodating of any special requests. It just so happened that the very last day of the trip (the day everyone returned home) was our wedding anniversary. Sheri being Sheri, she had a special little celebration party for us on our night out on the tundra. That was so nice of her and we enjoyed sharing our happiness with all our travel mates. I'd also like to add that Sheri speaks very highly of the Nat Hab."

D. Daneker
"Sheri was a 'Hall of Fame' Expedition Leader. She was energetic, up-beat, very knowledgeable, and extremely helpful and attentive to everyone on the trip. She was everything one could want."

M. Soloy
“Sheri is amazing! Her leadership skills in getting our diverse team into a cohesive group went beyond expectations. Sheri took care of our every need and made this the trip of a lifetime. Her vast wealth of knowledge was very impressive and she made learning fun. I could tell we had the best guide by the friendly reactions of warm smiles and hugs from everyone we encountered that knew Sheri. She is truly one of Nat Hab's most valuable assets!”

K. Tweedy-Holmes
“Sheri is simply the perfect guide. She offers abundant warmth, intelligence, kindness and profound knowledge of the area's wildlife, geology, history, culture and weather. Her enthusiasm is boundless and her energy level is remarkable. She is also breathtakingly organized and deals with problems calmly, efficiently and with consideration. She is in the right job, and Nat Hab is lucky to have found her.”

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