Teen wins praise, $$ for her work with environment

HIGHLAND — When she was only 10 years old, Shannon Babb began volunteering at Timpanogos Cave National Monument.

By age 12, she was performing scientific experiments to learn more about the Earth.

She secured her first grant for environmental conservation at age 16.

This year, the 17-year-old American Fork High School senior was awarded a $2,000 scholarship for her work with the environment as one of 10 national winners of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. The prize, named after the mother of author T.A. Barron, acknowledges teens' commitment to humanitarian or environmental work.

Babb will use the money for college. She plans to study environmental hydrology but has not chosen a school yet.

"My mom teaches reading and my dad's a doctor, so I didn't get it from them," she said about her love of nature. "I've always had an interest in nature and got into water quality from other projects I was doing."

The prize specifically recognized Babb for curbing the growth of non-native plants such as cheat grass at Timpanogos Cave and her six-month study of water quality in the Spanish Fork River.

In 2004, Babb secured a $600 grant from the Wildlife Conservation Society to plant seeds of native plants such as Utah Sweetvetch, penstamons and other native trees and grasses.

Non-native plants took over Timpanogos monument during the six-year statewide drought.

"Because they don't have natural predators, they aren't getting eaten and can reproduce much more quickly," Babb said.

Park rangers at the monument taught Babb about the plants during the summers she spent volunteering. She began volunteering at the monument when rangers noticed her knowledge and love for nature. During those early years, she had to be accompanied by her parents because of monument rules.

"She is really devoted. For years she would come up here and do the BATs program, which is the Behind the Tour specialists," said Brandon Kowallis, physical science technician at Timpanogos. "Then she started getting interested in resources management."

Babb and her friends grew the seeds of native plants in a greenhouse that mimicked the outside soil, except for bacteria. The plants were planted outside when they were healthy enough. At the same time, Babb and rangers pulled non-native plants from remote areas of the monument.