Page 69 - North State Parent March 2023

NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE SPRING/SUMMER 2023 NATURE & SCIENCE
IN WONDER OF THE NATURAL WORLD
BY BRADY KENNEDY, SHASTA LAND TRUST
When I was a new parent, I remember the sense of wonder in my children’s’ eyes as they learned about the natural world
around them. A budding flower with the return of spring provided an invaluable introduction to the seasons, our environment, and the beauty of life. Living in the North State, these small wonders are everywhere. As my children have grown, access to nature has provided many cherished memories, as well as an outlet for play and exploration that only the outdoors can provide. Read more about the ways that nature can enrich the lives of children, how to learn and have fun at an upcoming educational event, and why protecting our natural landscapes is of vital importance to the future of our community.
Nature is our greatest teacher
Nature provides an irreplaceable outlet for our most fundamental life lessons. Through discovery, play, and exploratory learning opportunities abundant in nature, children are able to connect to the world around them. By learning about life’s cycles and the interconnectedness of nature, children have the opportunity to feel more grounded in the world that surrounds them. This knowledge provides them with the foundation for a sense of place and identity. Learning first-hand about the plants and animals in our local ecosystems lends an appreciation of and respect for the environment that we share and depend upon.
Life skills from the great outdoors
Early access to nature can provide children with a sense of autonomy, lower stress, and build vital developmental skills including physical coordination and cognitive recognition. Whether that’s jumping along a creek bed, climbing a tree, or learning the name of a plant or animal, the opportunities for nature’s most valuable lessons are often a stone’s throw away. These lessons learned in nature last a lifetime, and fosters a love of our most precious natural landscapes and resources.
Explore and Learn at a Local wildways event
Children can get outside and explore nature in our local area with kid and family friendly events available through the Shasta Land Trust’s Wildways series. Learn about our local ecosystems, wildlife, and the natural wonders of our biodiverse region, while having fun in our beautiful north state. Events include family friendly hikes, bike rides, bird watching walks, outdoor movie nights, community events, & more! Visit the Shasta Land Trust website at Shastalandtrust.org to learn more and register to attend an upcoming Wildways event.
A lasting legacy in land conservation
Abundant recreational opportunities, beautiful scenery, and fresh locally grown food are just a few of
the reasons why Shasta County is a cherished home for so many of us. Since 1998, the Shasta Land Trust is proud to have conserved over 34,000 acres of Shasta County’s environmentally important ecosystems, wildlife habitat, open space, agricultural, and recreational lands. As a community, protecting the natural lands that surround us ensures a future for our children with mountain trails to hike, freshwater lakes to swim, and rolling fields of wildflowers to explore. Access to these beloved landscapes, with the ability to teach a life-long love of nature is irreplaceable.
Learn more about the Shasta Land Trust
Support local land conservation efforts to protect wildlife habitats, recreational lands, and working agricultural farms and ranches, by attending an upcoming Wildways event or donating to the Shasta Land Trust. Learn about our local ecosystems, wildlife, and the natural wonders of our biodiverse region. Events include family-friendly hikes, bike rides, movie screenings & more! All events support local land conservation efforts in protecting wildlife habitat, recreational lands, and working agricultural farms and ranches. Visit Shastalandtrust.org to sign up, or call (530)241-7886.
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I don’t know much but if a kid hands you a mud pie, you pretend to eat it.
— Brian Kehoe, Founder/Director, Happy Acres Forest School, Chico
Barefoot and excited, they are in the moment. I ask them to screech like a red- shouldered hawk, or squawk like the acorn woodpeckers, and they respond without hesitation. We then move silently, like foxes, through the forest, devouring the miner’s lettuce on all fours like deer. We lay, sprawled in the coolness of the lush edible forest floor, feeling peace in the magic silence rarely found in the presence of a dozen-plus school-aged children. We experience the connection of nature, and it feeds our souls.
— Jahnia Mitchel, Co-owner, Earthbound Skills, Chico