Nature Program

One of the greatest enjoyments of being a parent of two young children was taking them walks in the fields and woods down the hill from our home. I introduced them to meadows wet with dew on a misty morning, the call of Kingfishers as they flew up along the river corridor, frogs, bluegills, crayfish and tadpoles in the lake, and the peaceful sound of chickadees calling to each other on a spring morning.

Alyssa and Amy are grown now, off on their own and in college. My feeling is that some of their best memories of childhood will be those walks with Dad. I think this will be true for most children of parents who have a love of nature, and share it with their children.

Which is what brings me to why it is such a privilege to be a volunteer for Lookout Mountain Nature Center, to be able to introduce children and their teachers to the wonderful bits of nature we have in the Ponderosa Pine woods and meadows.

You see I strongly believe that children who are aquainted with wild nature are happier and more balanced. They learn there is something out there, bigger them then, that they are a part of.

Last spring on an overcast day my group watched a red fox run up through the meadow towards the cover of the Ponderosa Pines.

On another warm and sunny day I had them examine all the shadows beneath the pines, til they found one that contained the silhouettes of two deer.

They found spring beauties and pasque flowers in bloom. On one trip we examined coral root and paintbrush in peak flower. I introduced them to the concept of plants living on the roots of other plants, as these two do.

I got to tell them stories about nature, in support of the program themes: Ponderosa Pine Treasure Hunt, Wild Messages, Living with Lions and Bears, Wildflower Wizards.

I value this volunteer work that I do, even more than my paid job. Because in acting as a mediator on these walks, I am helping children and their teachers to become aquainted with nature on a personal level. We all care most about what is personal to us.

My wish is some of them may remember a walk in the woods, recall some of my stories, retain the sight of deer walking in to the pines, the beauty of the spring beauty flower. And my hope is that perhaps a memory of this walk with their teacher and companions will stay with them as they become adults, as positive experiences in nature, and perhaps affect their view of the earth as their home.