Nearby Nature educates local youth

By Envision Magazine on September 27, 2014

 

  

The entryway to “Nearby Nature” feels like a portal to another world. Big trees branch over the area where children leave their backpacks, providing shade for camp volunteers to tell folklore stories, like “Why the cat always falls upon her feet.” As a small non-profit, Nearby Nature has been able to grow and thrive in the last 12 years.

Nearby Nature is located inside Alton Baker Park in Eugene, Oregon. The site hosts several nature-inspired activities for participants. Jo Niedeck, the education coordinator for Nearby Nature, points out her favorite spot at a hazelnut tree. “The tree is beautiful and alive with flowers during the spring and early summer,” she says. In another area children sit in a circle discussing bike safety and prepare to go on a nature bike ride around the park.

Nearby Nature was founded by Joseph Minato and Sharon Blick in 1992 so that people of all ages could thrive when they are connected with the environment. The program provides a series of activities such as nature walks, summer camps, school programs, adult workshops, and restoration projects.

  

  

But it’s not just for kids. In “Learnscape” workshops, Nearby Nature brings in experts on different environmental topics to teach adults the tools they need to take action within their own community. Some past Learnscapes include learning how to create a natural play place, designing gardens for food security, and “city chickens.”

Nearby Nature encourages people of all ages and skill to become involved and care about the world around them. “I believe that it is essential for humanity to learn, to respect and live in harmony with the rest of the natural world, for the sake of ourselves and all life forms on the planet,” says Niedeck.  The program will move from summer camps to a series of volunteer opportunities this fall.