Starting the 12th season off with a bang, more than 60 NatureTrack Field Trips have been scheduled already. Docent-led trips take place up and down the coast from Guadalupe Dunes to Carpinteria State Beach, and inland to Nojoqui Falls, Midland School Trails, and Sedgewick Reserve.
Freedom Trax trips made tracks in the sand from Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo County to San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura County, as well as Santa Barbara state and county beaches.
The field trips are entirely free thanks to grants and private donors. NatureTrack also pays for transportation to and from local trails and beaches.
Sue Eisaguirre, founder of the nonprofit, welcomed docents to the opening of NatureTrack’s new office at 290 Valley Station Road in Buellton on Sept. 6. “We have 69 trips on the books so far,” she told the group.
In the 12 years since the program began, more than 30,000 students have been introduced to the beauty of nature.
NatureTrack’s mission is two-fold: encourage students to embrace the natural world with respect and wonder, thus inspiring them to be stewards of our natural resources; and preparing students with the attitudes, leadership skills, and habits for lifelong learning.
“Our trips are more than just learning about nature, it’s about developing a love for our natural world,” Eisaguirre said.
Abby Pickens, program manager, show the docents the new Online Volunteer Resource System (OVRS), giving them more information at their fingertips. Field trip location information is also only a click away for docents who want to explore a site before the field trip.
NatureTrack field trips incorporate Joseph Cornell’s Flow Learning program and utilizes tools created by the BEETLES Project, which inspire students’ wonder and curiosity about the natural world, support their innate tendencies for exploration, and guide them to make explanations based on evidence.
Outdoor field trips are more important than ever, as kids ages eight to 12 reportedly spend six to eight hours per day on entertainment media, and only six to eight minutes in unstructured outdoor play. Numerous studies have shown the benefits of time spent in the outdoors to one’s health and well-being.
NatureTrack has one docent for every five students. NatureTrack tailors the outdoor trip to the curriculum requested by the teacher. Now, with the Freedom Trax program, students, teachers and docents who may need to use a wheelchair can participate.
NatureTrack welcomes volunteers (docents) throughout the year, and schedules are flexible to accommodate volunteers’ availability. To learn more, contact Eisaguirre, 805-886-2047 or e-mail Sue@NatureTrack.org.
NatureTrack is a 501(c)3 nonprofit providing outdoor docent-led field trips during the traditional school day for Santa Barbara County children at no cost to the schools or students, utilizing local trails and beaches throughout the county. It has expanded to include wheelchair users of any age. Visit https://NatureTrack.org.