WildRoots Integrated Naturalist Program

This will be an ongoing weekly series this spring designed to increase participants' knowledge of, connection to, and observation of the complex Natural World surrounding us. We will learn of and interact with the rich herb, tree and fungi communities as spring unfolds through observations, drawings, and foraging. We will learn to read track and sign of our animal neighbors, and work to observe them on their terms through quiet sits and careful movement. Basic outdoor and Earth skills will be used to find a deeper sense of belonging in Nature and to participate in this realm in a more dynamic and involved way. 

The deeper intention of this program is for these skills and connections to become part of participants everyday life, to the extent that observations are continuously being made and these relationships to the beings around us are always growing. It is hoped that through gaining "Natural World literacy" and giving fully of one's attention to the surrounding natural communities, there develops a deep and reciporical relationship with those communities.

During this spring session these will be our emphases:

-Tree identification, familiarity, edibility and uses

-Spring plant identification for foraging, safety, and basic medicine

-Track and sign reading, interpreting the behaviors and learning the habits of local wildlife

-Learning observation and practicing minimizing disturbance in movement and sits

-Finding comfort, steadiness, and a sense of belonging in the outdoors

-Learning basic outdoor skills like fire-making, shelter, way finding, and safety for comfort and immersion purposes

-Seeing and embracing a more balanced relationship with the natural world

-Beginning to meet some basic needs in life from what the Natural World abundantly offers

Please read all below notes before Emailing to register (wildroots.handcrafts@gmail.com). Spots will be filled on a first come first served basis.

These sessions will involve some physical requirements of able-bodiedness and fitness. We will not be going far, but we often be going in challenging and strenous ways! There will be crawling, climbing, balancing, and holding painfully still involved in our sessions. 

Open to adults and youth aged 17 and up. This should be something you feel strongly about as it will be continuing over an extended time period! Commitment to full participation is required, see note on attendance below. 

This program of 10 sessions costs $350. If this presents financial difficulties please inquire about the $150 scholarship we have available.

The program will be limited to 7 participants for insuring quality mentoring and to minimize disturbance in our activities. Some sessions will be in the KVR and a few may be at our outdoor learning facility just southeast of La Farge. 

Full attendance of all dates is ideal! This will be a group learning experience and everyones' presence will be helpful. If you know you will miss a date, so be it, but if you know you will miss many of these sessions, please reconsider registering. I, Nicholas, reserve the right to cancel a session due to extreme weather, or other unforseen circumstances. This program will follow the WildRoots cancellation policy of refunding half of payment if cancelling 10 days or more before the program. Once the program has commenced there will not be refunds offered.