Our Nature Education Program

Since its inception in 2011, the Massawippi Conservation Trust activities have revolved around the following four tenets of conservation:

Conservation

Recreation

Education

Research

In 2022, we turned our attention to the education tenet, connected with some key players and piloted our nature education program.

Where did we start and what have we learned?

In the winter of 2022, we connected with Jessica Adams in hopes of getting our education
mandate off the ground. Less than two months later we were welcoming our very first group of
students for a nature education outing at Scowen Park in North Hatley.
After piloting a winter and spring program and receiving some feedback, our main takeaways
were:

There are no outdoor education programs based in the Massawippi watershed region
There are no programs offering multiple, seasonal visits to a local natural area
The cost of bus transportation is a major obstacle
Participating in outdoor education can be intimidating for teachers who lack training
Having someone lead the nature education outings is key to its success
Children share their outdoor experiences with their families
Through key outdoor experiences at a young age, children can strengthen their relationship with the natural world and become advocates for conservation

Nature Conversations: Stay on the trail.

To watch more videos like this,
visit the gallery, video section.

Where are we now?

The 2022-2023 academic year was the Massawippi Foundation’s Nature Education Program’s inaugural year running a fall, winter and spring program for a total of 9 groups from 6 schools. 2023-2024 year was our second full year running the program and we increased capacity to 16 groups from 9 schools.

The program takes place at Scowen Park and is open to both French and English schools of the surrounding region, offering one 2-hour outing per season per class. This allows students to experience park in all its seasonal glory, witnessing changes that take place from fall to winter to spring. The goal is to offer it as a turnkey experience for classes with the Foundation covering the costs of the bus transportation, activity animation, and end-of-outing snack (a highlight, by many accounts).

What is the program about, really?

The program is built on the premise that “We protect what we love. We love what we know.” Outing themes change to reflect the season at hand, however the true, lasting value of the program lies in the approach which emphasizes:

Cultivating curiosity and wonder for the natural world
Encouraging careful observation using all the senses
Approaching learning through inquiry
Mindfulness in our interactions with the natural world

We have been incredibly fortunate to benefit from support in the program from a handful of dedicated volunteers who assist in preparing and serving snacks to the students at the end of each outing. In 2023-2024, to help accommodate the increased number of classes, we had the pleasure of welcoming two new animation team members.

Where are we headed?

With each year comes an opportunity to spend time connecting with students and teachers and learning how we can shape the future of this promising project. We have identified several objectives and desired outcomes for the next five years:

Continue strengthening our relationships with the primary schools in the watershed
Continue to offer quality programming that provides students with the opportunity to learn in, about and for the natural world
Continue to host grade 3 and 4 students at Scowen Park while adding in-class activities and visits to further contextualize the learning
Pilot a grade 5 and 6 program at the Wardman sector in Ste-Catherine-de-Hatley
Explore opportunities for self-directed activities and other incentives for families and members of the greater community to spend more time connecting with nature
Slowly root ourselves in the larger outdoor and nature education community and perhaps one day serve as a model for nature education programming that emphasizes appreciation, respect and care for the natural areas where learning takes place

How can you support us?

The smiles and feedback we receive from students and teachers alike has us convinced we are onto something! As we begin looking towards the coming years of this program, we are mindful of the importance of connecting with those who share our values and vision.

You can show us your support in any of the following ways: