Ann Haymond Zwinger '46

Alumnae Achievement Awards 1977

Author, Naturalist

Ann Haymond Zwinger, author of numerous natural history books, graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in art history. She completed a master’s degree in art history from Indiana University in 1950 and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado after marrying Herman Zwinger. While in Colorado, she wrote her first book, Beyond the Aspen Grove, which won the Indiana Author’s Day Award in 1970. Since then, she has written over a dozen naturalist books, including Run, River, Run: A Naturalist's Journey Down One of the Great Rivers of the West, for which she received the John Burroughs Memorial Association Gold Medal for distinguished contributions in natural history and the Friends of American Writers Award for non-fiction. Zwinger has also taught English and Southwest studies at Colorado College.

Zwinger has been active in environmentalism, although she does not consider herself an environmentalist. She is a member emeritus of the Colorado Nature Conservatory, and she has served on the board of directors for the John Burroughs Association, the Catamount Institute, the Grand Circle Field School, and the Palmer Land Trust. She promotes environmental awareness by giving lectures and tours around the Western United States.

Raised in Indiana, Zwinger’s childhood experiences have contributed to her naturalist writings. She often uses Indiana as a basis for comparison in her writings about Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. The landscape and natural wealth of Indiana also affected her perception of the environment and the necessity of appreciating natural beauty and resources.

In 2007, Ann Haymond Zwinger was awarded the Stuart P. Dodge Award for Conservation Excellence for her contribution to conservation and her appreciation of the natural world. She currently lives in the Pikes Peak region of Colorado.