Brandon Twp- Jonathan Schechter owns many hats.
A Brandon Firefighter, parks naturalist and classic outsdoorsman’Schechter transcribes his diverse thoughts to others’sharing the essence of nature.
For the second consecutive year, Schechter was recognized for his journalistic talents by the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association.
Last year he earned a first place honor for journalistic skills, and this past June Schechter snaged a third place finish.
‘Writing is one of my passions,? said Schechter. ‘It’s stability in my life.?
‘No matter what goes up, or down, this is a constant.?
For more than six years Schechter has been writing a weekly nature-based column for a West Bloomfield, Mich. newspaper.
As a member of the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association (MOWA), Schechter submits three column entries a year for journalistic recognition.
Schechter’s former editor Bill Parker, now a board member of MOWA, says the organization is a nonprofit association with a membership of over 300 outdoor media relation vehicles, such as outdoor magazine writers, photographers, cartoonists, columnists, and broadcast communicators specializing in outdoor activities.
Media artists throughout the state of Michigan focus communications on outdoor topics including environmental education, trapping, conservation, ecology, and travel.
Each year MOWA holds writing, photography, videography, and cinematography craft improvement contests in which the awards, among the artists, competition are prestigious and signify highly professional contributions to the world of outdoor communications.
Last year he won the honor of penning a first place portrait of nature, followed by a third place winner this June.
From delectable landscape edibles to songs of the tree frog, Schechter dedicates his columns to the natural wonder of Oakland County.
The son of a biology teacher from City College of New York, Schechter has an inherent curiosity for ecological balance. Being raised in rural Connecticut, he says contributed to his passion for wildlife.
After earning a degree in forestry from the College of Forest Resources in Seattle, WA, Schechter traveled through Africa as a graduation present to himself.
Settling in Michigan, he became a firefighter and spent 12 years at the West Bloomfield Township Fire Department before moving to Brandon Township 10 years ago and becoming a part-time firefighter locally.
After submitting several letters on nature to a local newspaper, Schechter was invited to write a weekly column on the riches of local wildlife and environment.
Working on his 317th column ‘Reflections of a Country Porch,? Schechter writes that it has been nearly a decade since his escape from the frantic world of Bloomfield, and embraced rural Brandon Township:
‘Life’s mysteries and beauties and frustrations all seem to make more sense here. I do not know why. But I do know that on the porch, life is better.?
His country porch is his sanctuary to write, think, and escape.
Since that time Schechter’s country porch has been the catalyst to maintain an award winning weekly column of natural treats, as well as many informative articles in several Michigan outdoor magazines.
To Schechter, it seems that life’s natural beauty and mysteries make award winning sense on his Brandon country porch.