When the classroom merges with the forest

Right now’s submit comes from Sebastian Basualto, parks program educator for Awenda Provincial Park.

Whats up, I’m Sebastian, program educator right here at Awenda Provincial Park.

Earlier than becoming a member of Awenda, I spent years instructing in Toronto’s bustling school rooms. Working at Awenda has been a big change, but it surely’s given me a singular alternative to mix my love for instructing with my ardour for nature.

An inspiring park

Rising up, Awenda was greater than only a park to me — it was virtually my yard.

Yearly since I used to be in first grade, my household and I might head as much as our cottage at Sawlog Bay, only a stone’s throw away from the park. These summers had been crammed with hikes by way of the forest trails, exploring the shoreline, and watching the seasons change from our personal little nook of Georgian Bay.

Now, entering into this position, I really feel like I’ve come full circle — sharing the magic of Awenda with a brand new technology who, like me, would possibly simply fall in love with these woods and waters for all times.

Enriching packages

Working alongside Chief Park Naturalist Tim Tully and Senior Naturalist Katy McKay has been an unimaginable studying expertise. Their deep data and keenness for the park’s ecology and historical past have enriched my understanding and allowed me to deliver much more depth to the packages we provide.

At Awenda, I purpose to attach college students to the sweetness and richness of the pure world. This park is a spot of limitless marvel — from the colourful fall foliage that lights up our trails to the smooth lapping waves alongside the Georgian Bay shorelines. It’s a dwelling classroom the place every season, each leaf and animal has a narrative to inform.

Our college packages permit college students to discover this pure classroom firsthand.

Just lately, I had the pleasure of guiding college students by way of hands-on actions like nature journaling, a easy, but partaking manner for college students to observe being current and actively observe their atmosphere.

One among my favourite actions was main a watershed building problem alongside the seashore, the place college students creatively constructed tiny watersheds utilizing sand, sticks, and stones, discussing the significance of water methods.

Maybe essentially the most magical second was watching the scholars pause on a forested path, overwhelmed by the kaleidoscope of autumn colours.

One scholar summed it up completely, saying, “If you go searching, it appears to be like like a fairytale!” Feedback like these remind me why connecting college students to nature is so important.