Taylor Schoettle's Naturalist Guides to the Okefenokee Swamp and the Georgia Barrier Islands

Taylor was born in Philadelphia. He received a BS degree in Zoology from Pennsylvania State University and a MS degree in Physiology from the University of Pennsylvania. He taught biology and related subjects for over two decades at the college, high school, and middle school levels. Teaching gave Taylor great satisfaction, but he never appreciated having to give (or receive) grades; they do not belong in education. While teaching, he amassed a collection of birds and snakes with which he gave lectures. His interest in animals eventually led to a zoo career. Taylor was curator in three zoos located in Puerto Rico, Oklahoma City and El Paso, Texas. In El Paso, Taylor saw the movie, “Conrack,” adapted from Pat Conroy’s novel The River is Wide. Most of the movie was filmed along the Georgia coast, and the sheer beauty of the area made a deep impression on Taylor which eventually led him and his family to the coast of Georgia.

Taylor became a Marine Education Specialist with the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service in Brunswick. For twelve years, he offered a wide range of coastal education programs throughout the Southeast. Taylor was instrumental in establishing three environmental education centers along the coast of Georgia, and these still offer a full range of marine education programs. Even though several natural history publications about the Georgia coast were available, Taylor wanted books that were more comprehensive and appealing.

Taylor retired from the University to produce the kind of books he envisioned, three of which are presented on this web site. Each book requires five to six years to produce which only allows for occasional lectures and field trips for groups and summer classes for teachers. Aside from his work involving the coast, Taylor is the music minister at Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church in Darien and he composes songs about God and nature. He also enjoys raising orchids which he and his wife display in the church for Sunday Mass. As time, tide and wind permit, Taylor sails a Laser in the backwaters of the Altamaha River. Taylor and Marie have four sons, Christopher, John, David and Steven.

List of Publications

A Field Guide to Jekyll Island, Georgia Sea Grant College Program, University of Georgia, 1983. (Out of print)

A Field Guide to Sea Island, Georgia Sea Grant College Program, University of Georgia, 1987. (Out of print)

"A Study Approach to the Georgia Coast," Unit 1, "The Ocean Beach," Unit 2, "A Profile of a Salt Marsh," Unit 3, "Organisms of the Dock," Georgia Sea Grant College Program, University of Georgia, 1988.

"The Blue Crab," (videotape), Georgia Sea Grant College Program, University of Georgia, 1989.

A Naturalist's Guide to St. Simons Island, © H. E. Taylor Schoettle, Watermarks Publishing and Printing, St. Simons Island, Georgia, 1993.

A Guide to a Georgia Barrier Island, © H. E. Taylor Schoettle, Watermarks Publishing and Printing, St. Simons Island, Georgia, 1996.

A Naturalist's Guide to the Okefenokee Swamp, © H. E. Taylor Schoettle, Darien Printing and Graphics, Darien, Georgia, 2002.



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Taylor was born in Philadelphia. He received a BS degree in Zoology from Pennsylvania State University and a MS degree in Physiology from the University of Pennsylvania. He taught biology and related subjects for over two decades at the college, high school, and middle school levels. Teaching gave Taylor great satisfaction, but he never appreciated having to give (or receive) grades; they do not belong in education. While teaching, he amassed a collection of birds and snakes with which he gave lectures. His interest in animals eventually led to a zoo career. Taylor was curator in three zoos located in Puerto Rico, Oklahoma City and El Paso, Texas. In El Paso, Taylor saw the movie, “Conrack,” adapted from Pat Conroy’s novel The River is Wide. Most of the movie was filmed along the Georgia coast, and the sheer beauty of the area made a deep impression on Taylor which eventually led him and his family to the coast of Georgia. Taylor became a Marine Education Specialist with the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service in Brunswick. For twelve years, he offered a wide range of coastal education programs throughout the Southeast. Taylor was instrumental in establishing three environmental education centers along the coast of Georgia, and these still offer a full range of marine education programs. Even though several natural history publications about the Georgia coast were available, Taylor wanted books that were more comprehensive and appealing. Taylor retired from the University to produce the kind of books he envisioned, three of which are presented on this web site. Each book requires five to six years to produce which only allows for occasional lectures and field trips for groups and summer classes for teachers. Aside from his work involving the coast, Taylor is the music minister at Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church in Darien and he composes songs about God and nature. He also enjoys raising orchids which he and his wife display in the church for Sunday Mass. As time, tide and wind permit, Taylor sails a Laser in the backwaters of the Altamaha River. Taylor and Marie have four sons, Christopher, John, David and Steven. List of Publications A Field Guide to Jekyll Island, Georgia Sea Grant College Program, University of Georgia, 1983. (Out of print) A Field Guide to Sea Island, Georgia Sea Grant College Program, University of Georgia, 1987. (Out of print) "A Study Approach to the Georgia Coast," Unit 1, "The Ocean Beach," Unit 2, "A Profile of a Salt Marsh," Unit 3, "Organisms of the Dock," Georgia Sea Grant College Program, University of Georgia, 1988. "The Blue Crab," (videotape), Georgia Sea Grant College Program, University of Georgia, 1989. A Naturalist's Guide to St. Simons Island, © H. E. Taylor Schoettle, Watermarks Publishing and Printing, St. Simons Island, Georgia, 1993. A Guide to a Georgia Barrier Island, © H. E. Taylor Schoettle, Watermarks Publishing and Printing, St. Simons Island, Georgia, 1996. A Naturalist's Guide to the Okefenokee Swamp, © H. E. Taylor Schoettle, Darien Printing and Graphics, Darien, Georgia, 2002.
© 2003 H. E. Taylor Schoettle
Taylor Schoettle \| PO Box 1117 \| Darien, GA 31305 \| (912)-437-6799