Nature walks

Who can enjoy a nature walk? Really, anyone from kindergarten students to gardeners to seniors can participate.  Nature walks an be led by preschool teachers, Scouts and Guides leaders, naturalists, Master Gardeners, or just community members who have a sense of what's in their natural surroundings or have the curiosity to learn and explore. If you want to explore the natural world in your neighbourhood, you don't need an expert.  Just about anyone can conduct a walk in nature with a bit of planning and knowledge. City parks, ravine systems or conservation areas are all perfect places for a jaunt in nature. However, it’s important to keep your participants in mind from a safety and accessibility point of view. Can seniors safely navigate the route in the snow?  Is your route accessible for people with disabilities? Are preschoolers dressed for rain? Keep in mind that one of your goals should be to demonstrate that nature is safe and free of danger.

Our natural surroundings change week in, week out. Early spring sprouts turn into buds and flowers, which give way to thick foliage. Plan your walk according to what you’re able to point out and the weather and ground conditions. The kind of group that you are leading will dictate the route that you take, the kinds of things that you point out, as well as how you address the group. Children might be fascinated to understand what mushrooms do below the ground, for instance. Adults might be interested in medicinal plants and their benefits. If you have a group of new Canadians, you might want to enlist a local translator.It’s a good idea to do a practice walk or two in order to get comfortable with the route and get an idea of what you’re going to say. Factors to take into account in planning your nature walk can include:

• Route accessibility—be sure to pre-plan your route, looking for things like wet areas and obstructions.
• Weather—how should participants dress to remain comfortable for the walk’s duration.
• Duration—how much time can participants afford and will they get tired?
• Speed–Kids might prefer a faster pace to hold their attention, while seniors might enjoy stopping to linger on a particular subject.
• Start/finish location—is the place that you start and finish accessible and well-lit? And if the endpoint is different from the starting point, consider what transportation options are available

If walk participants' level of knowledge is basic or varied, your own knowledge of nature will likely suffice. If you are doing a walk with bird watchers, gardeners, hunters or other specialized groups, you don’t have to rush to the library in order to become knowledgeable. For walks with a particular focus consider enlisting someone from aa naturalist group, a local horticultural society, a local conservation society, Master Gardener’s group, a parks employee or others from not-for-profit organizations in your community involved with parks and green spaces. You might be surprised how enthusiastic they will be to support you!

For a nature walk to be successful, participant enjoyment and fulfillment is key. There are many, many ways to build enjoyment, such as:

• Emphasize how much variety and life there is out there, using concrete examples: point out songbirds and squirrels, trees and lichen, shrubs, grass and moss, waterfowl and amphibians. What you don’t point out won’t necessarily get noticed.
• Encourage participants to use all their senses: open their eyes, nostrils, and ears to tune in to the natural world moving around them. Encourage them to look up, down, smell the breeze and point out birdsong and animal rustlings.
• Participation builds enjoyment, so do your best to encourage it! Ask questions, solicit answers, and encourage participants to point out anything and everything. Ask things like: Who knows what this is? Does anyone have an idea what this is/does? What kinds of mammals/birds/trees live around here?
• When you talk, keep information on different topics brief and digestible: trees, woodland plants, flowers.
• Try to tie what you say to something visual. Point things out as you speak. But don’t forget to illustrate unseen relationships, such as between trees and fungi.
• Instil a sense of timelessness. Point out that nature has always been here. Before the last ice age, this region was in fact tropical! Demonstrate some aboriginal use of the land, medicinal uses of plants, and how we have long worked in harmony with nature.

A great way to build engagement is to bring along things that will enrich the experience. For a forest walk, you can distribute handfuls of sunflower seeds to attract chickadees, or bring along a set of magnifying glasses for kids to get a closer look at mushrooms. People love to participate. If you have a Walk Leader with knowledge and enthusiasm, you’re most of the way to a successful walk. Knowledge is good, but the ability to get participants excited is crucial.