It’s a busy time of year with many counting down the days until summer, and most not looking to take on anything new. But here in the heart of spring, we’re already starting to plan for next fall. By reaching out today, I hope to plant some seeds whose harvest will be enriching nature connections and scientific exploration for young people next school year.
This newsletter focuses on two programs: Bear Creek Explorers and Field Research Projects. We’re also planning to also offer short skill courses, and possibly all-ages workshops, so look for more info on those soon. The two opportunities featured in this newsletter are for families looking to make hands-on learning in the natural world a significant, sustained component of their program next year. If you have any interest, questions, comments, or suggestions please don’t hesitate to reach out!
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Bear Creek Explorers
The last of the beloved Bear Creek Explorers are graduating this spring- after almost five years in the woods together! It’s a bittersweet milestone and the end of an era. Returning to the same piece of land every week, year after year, fostered personal growth, wilderness skill building, scientific exploration, social-emotional development, and above all a deep connection to the land. I hope that this joyful experience was the start of something that will evolve and change but continue to offer young people the opportunity for ongoing nature immersion and peer connection.
Starting next fall, Wild Alive Outside will be offering a once-per-week full-day program for 4th-6th graders at the Bear Creek Wilderness and Research Forest. Our focus will be multi-pronged including wilderness skills such as building shelters, starting fires, and navigating with a map and compass, participation in land management, basic forestry, plant and wildlife identification, long-term data collection, and crafting with wood and other natural materials. We will take time to be still in nature, learn about reciprocity and stewardship, complete challenges, and make space for everyone’s wisdom around the campfire.
I hope to find six adventurous young people whose homeschool experience would be enhanced by spending one day a week outdoors with peers and thoughtful mentorship. You might think of it like outdoor school- but for the whole year! Do you know a family who might be interested? Please forward them this email or encourage them to reach out. Transportation will be provided from a central Eugene location, and we are an approved vendor for Teach Northwest and Fossil.
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Field Researchers Wanted
For older students, ready to dive into field research, we’re planning several opportunities for student projects. In the spirit of learning by doing, and breaking away from the traditional school class structure, we’ll be inviting student researchers for specific projects in the research forest. Rather than a class offered at a specific time, this learning opportunity will involve small teams taking many trips to the research forest along with online meetings to develop research questions, organize and analyze data, review literature, and write up results.
Project ideas include mushroom, plant, wildlife, and macro-invertebrate surveys, the effect of fire intensity on invasive and native plant communities, establishment of forest plots, phase two of our meadow knapweed experiment, and student-led research projects. Participants will learn to use research equipment, have access to data from past projects, and make their discoveries and contributions to the forest.
The vision is to empower teenagers with the type of project usually not available until graduate school, but with support and expectations that are age-appropriate. Once a team coalesces around a project, we’ll schedule field trips, determine scope and expectations (such as fulfilling high school credit requirements), and determine how to best meet each student where they’re at. Some teens may be ready to take the lead in data analysis while others will be seeing a spreadsheet for the first time. I hope to inspire and empower young researchers by providing the space and support to learn scientific methods while making their meaningful contribution to the body of knowledge about our forest.
More to come…
In the meantime, we’re busy planning for our first summer camp this July, and dreaming up engaging skills classes that will be offered at a natural area (likely Mt. Pisgah) next school year. Details on those coming soon! Thanks for reading, your support is very much appreciated. Enjoy the sunshine!