Maria Barnowl was born in Hawaii and grew up in Northern California. She has lived in the Puget Sound region of Washington State for 26 years. Her abiding love of animals and the environment has led her to work as a wildlife rehabilitator, veterinary assistant, geologic surveyor, wetland steward, and artist. She wishes for a world that lives in peace, where people have enough to eat and homes to shelter them, where differences are viewed as a good thing, and where wild animals, forests, and wilderness lovers can thrive in their natural habitats. Maria strives to share her passion for our beautiful planet through her photographs.