Nature Detectives

At Wild Roots we offer Nature Detective Family workshops and also Parent and Child Nature Detective Club that runs weekly.

Do you know that many animals and other wildlife wander through and live in the woodlands?

Do you know that they leave clues?

We will go on an adventure to find out, explore and be a nature detective!

Let’s look at what they’ve been eating - maybe a half eaten pine-cone. Who was here?
Let’s look for their droppings/signs - which animal has been here?
A muddy pawprint - who wandered on this path?

Nature Detective Club: Autumn 2023. Bookings will open in the coming month.

Benefits:

No more boring nature walks! Walking in nature with your family will be transformed into a fun adventure with lots to notice and investigate.
Being a detective requires listening and noticing. Focused awareness in the here and now (it’s a way of bringing mindfulness into our lives through nature).
Getting in touch with our deep roots in the ancestral skill of "tracking".

What you will gain?

Gain understanding of animal behavior and the connection in our ecosystem through play, mindfulness, and teaching that is led by children's and parents' curiosity and of course nature!
Learn to know what signs to look out for of animals' presence.
Distinguish the difference between our native animal tracks.
Awareness of the seasons and how the more than humans move through the woodland.
Be present in a focused way and with an open curiosity (beginner's mind).
Deeper connection to the woodlands – "you can't love what you don't know".
Growing and supporting Modern Day Keepers of the land.

Tracking - What is it?

Tracking is looking for tracks and signs (evidence) of animals and bird life that live and wander through the woodland area or other areas.

Cathy’s Journey Tracking and Nature Connection:

For Cathy, tracking brings her to nature connection with a touch of magical awe. It brings joy to her soul. It brings her back to the 10yr old child she was - whose imagination found delight in woodland wonders of furry rabbits playing together or fox cubs. Then the pure joy when a den was found as proof of their existence! A place where curiosity and delight joined together. And stories unfolded.

So fast forward 30 or so years and now Cathy is as an avid tracker – learning from the lovely Lucy O’ Hagan and John Ryder. Recently received tracker certification.

A Muddy path is a friendly ally where one can discover animal tracks or prints and either fall into the mystery of what adventures they were on or maybe deeper and follow their path and learn more about their journey and life whilst enchanted by ones senses. Cathy’s wish is to share her heartfelt knowledge as a way of nature connection and bringing it to life in a felt sense to the "awe"some ecosystem we live in.

“Our challenge isn’t so much to teach children about the natural world, but to find ways to sustain the instinctive connections they already carry.”

- Terry Krautwurst