Hansen, the environmental coordinator, credits her career longevity to the joy she finds in connecting with the community and creating fun experiences for others.

“I love getting people outdoors to explore, whether they’re older or little kiddos,” Hansen said. “It’s rewarding when they get excited and are learning something.”

Hansen led approximately a dozen people on a hiking tour of Carlson Recreation Area near Dayton recently.

The event was part of a monthly series of hikes called Tuesday at 10 Hikes. The hikes are hosted and planned by Webster County Conservation.

Karen Hansen discussing a tree species.

“The goal of the hikes is to get people out to areas that are not typically hiker areas and that the county owns,” Hansen said. “The county has 20 some areas and we’ve been doing this for a couple years now. There’s usually a crowd of regulars that come and then there’s new folks that show up.”

The committee recently branched out into Hamilton County and hosts monthly hikes in various locations in addition to the Webster County events.

The hikes in Hamilton County take place on the first Tuesday of each month and the Webster County hikes take place on the third Tuesday of each month.

The Webster County Conservation committee plans to host the monthly hikes into the fall, with the last one likely taking place in October, according to Hansen.

“We’re trying to promote across county lines and bring people to each other’s program,” Hansen said. “Even though that’s over in another county, it’s close enough that we can go explore with them.”

Tallgrass prairie at Carlson Recreation Area.

The committee does a ton of preparation to make sure the events are accommodating and safe for hikers.

Hansen said that some of the challenges she faces involve the terrain and navigating hunting season.

“I pick and choose based on hunting areas, the terrain and then our committee puts eyes on the plan before it is published,” Hansen said. “The field staff are the ones that are doing the hard work, like mowing to make it a better experience for folks.”

Hansen strives to make the hikes an educational experience for participants by stopping at various points to describe the wildlife of the area.

During the hike at Carlson Recreation Area, hikers saw many different plant species such as black-eyed susan flowers, a tallgrass prairie area and an oak regeneration project, where big oak trees will be replaced to control the rodent population.

Here is a list of the remaining Tuesday at 10 Hikes this year

Aug. 19 – Bob Hay Memorial Conservation Area

Sept. 16 – Woodman Hollow State Preserve

Oct. 21 – Camp WaNoKi

Nov. 18 – Dolliver Memorial State Park

Dec. 16 – Brushy Creek State Recreation Area