▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁Stephen ▁and ▁Be atrice ▁Will i ard , ▁living ▁in ▁Pal m ▁Spr ings , ▁California ▁and ▁Sierra ▁Nev ada ▁during ▁her ▁child hood . ▁Her ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁noted ▁landscape ▁photograph er . ▁ ▁She ▁developed ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁natural ▁studies ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁she ▁was ▁twelve . ▁Be atrice ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁a ▁family ▁that ▁n urt ured ▁her ▁early ▁interests ▁in ▁nature . ▁From ▁an ▁early ▁age ▁she ▁was ▁encourag ed ▁by ▁her ▁parents ▁to ▁read ▁about ▁plants , ▁animals , ▁and ▁the ▁environment ▁around ▁her . ▁She ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁B . A . ▁in ▁bi ological ▁sciences ▁from ▁Stan ford ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁then ▁attended ▁the ▁National ▁Park ▁Service ▁Y os em ite ▁Field ▁School . ▁However , ▁she ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁job ▁with ▁the ▁Park ▁Service ▁and ▁took ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁teacher , ▁first ▁in ▁Sal inas , ▁California , ▁then ▁in ▁Oak land , ▁and ▁finally ▁at ▁T ule la ke ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁California . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁she ▁began ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁season al ▁interpret ive ▁r anger ▁at ▁L ava ▁B eds ▁National ▁Monument ▁and ▁Cr ater ▁Lake ▁National ▁Park . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁Will ard ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁Ford ▁Foundation ▁grant ▁to ▁study ▁al pine ▁e col ogy ▁in ▁Europe . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁she ▁entered ▁gradu ate ▁school ▁at ▁the