E ducation for Curriculum Four Season Programming for Ecological Stewardship by Katie Krelove The calm exterior of the little white building and school trips, and have become caretakers, on the edge of the park belies the bluster explorers and admirers of the park’s natural of activity underway inside. It is 9:30 on a beauty throughout the seasons. As a nature Saturday morning in December, and boys and interpreter who has had the pleasure to teach, girls aged 8 to 10 are fi nding tasks with which learn from and explore with many people to busy themselves: updating nature journals, of all ages, it is clear to me that these young fl ipping through new books, feeding Houdini people represent among the best hope for (our red-eared slider turtle) or simply chatting the future of a valuable natural place in the with each other. One boy is eagerly recounting heart of the City of Toronto that is constantly the various birds he’s spotted in the last two threatened — High Park. weeks. Starting in Place! Jon, the group’s leader, calls the Nature Centre’s familiar “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” “High Park sometimes reminds me of Algonquin attention-getter, and soon everyone is seated Park, one of my other favourite places. Sometimes on the fl oor. First order of business: trivia! The the pine trees smell and you forget you’re in the topic of the day is squirrels and the children city.”— Jack, age 8½ have come prepared with questions to test their peers. The respect and attention these While many children travel far from the young nature enthusiasts give one another is city to experience nature, the green spaces impressive. Everyone listens intently, waits in our own cities are often overlooked as their turn and offers kudos for a right answer places with educational or recreational value or an especially interesting question. — particularly when it comes to nature study! But there is much to gain by introducing kids Once quizzed out, topographic maps are to the outdoors in their own neighbourhood. consulted to plan a hiking route. Suggestions Because it is close by, the local environment for sites to visit are put forth — among them, provides far greater opportunities for long- notably, one of the park’s big hills. It is, after term involvement and attachment than do all, the fi rst snow of the year, and at least more far-away places. In addition, not all some sliding between squirrel observations is children have the same opportunities for a must. With excitement mounting and winter travel, so starting in the place where they live gear applied, the group starts out on the trails, helps to level the playing (and exploring) “nature voices” dialled to low, clutching fi eld. scavenger hunt sheets. High Park, at nearly 160 hectares, is the Welcome to a typical session of the Ramblers largest park in the Greater Toronto Area. Its S Hiking Club for Kids, run out of the High history as a public park goes back over 130 Y A Park Nature Centre in Toronto’s west end. years — and as a centre of human activity, W Most members are seasoned veterans of even longer. The park is multi-use: you H T the Nature Centre’s programs, and well can visit the historical home of the original A P acquainted with both the park’s many landowners, fi sh or picnic by a 14-hectare nature trails and each other. They have pond, use sports facilities, walk dogs or 8 participated in clubs, camps, family events saunter along trails once used by the Iroquois Education for Curriculum people. It is also a centre for ecological study; Participants get their hands dirty in in fact, one-third of High Park’s terrestrial restoration activities — planting savannah system is considered to be ecologically plants in the spring, removing invasive signifi cant, and approximately 23 hectares has species in the summer, collecting seeds in the been provincially designated since 1989 as an fall and feeding birds in the winter. These Area of Natural and Scientifi c Interest (ANSI). are coupled with naturalist themes attuned to the time of year, among them wildfl owers, The park’s most famous plant communities butterfl ies, migration, winter birds, tracking, are the black oak savannahs, remnants of snowshoeing, trees, soil science and pond the sand prairies that once covered much study. of southern Ontario’s landscape. By some estimates, less than 1% of the original The sustainable use of High Park depends coverage of this ecosystem remains, and High on people understanding the signifi cance Park shelters the fourth largest remnant (City of its natural areas, supporting the City’s of Toronto, 2002). The park is a corridor for restoration efforts, and learning what they migrating birds and home to over 50 species can do to help (or at least not hurt) the of regionally rare plants. Overall, it is an treasured ecology. Whenever possible, the urban treasure, providing a rare opportunity Nature Centre strives to offer opportunities to connect with nature and our natural for long-term educational programs instead heritage in our own city, to glimpse and of one-off visits, as we believe that building preserve the biodiversity that thrived here ecological values and changing behaviours pre-settlement. toward the environment takes time and comes only through the creation of feelings The ecological integrity of the park is of respect, understanding and appreciation constantly threatened by a myriad of for a place. This can only truly be achieved by urban pressures. In response to scientifi c reaching people year-round, throughout the studies and community interest, the City of four seasons. Toronto implemented a management plan to emphasize the protection and restoration The Benefi ts of Four-Season of the park’s woodland and savannah Programming ecosystems, including a mandate to foster sustainable use. Environmental Stewardship The High Park Nature Centre was established “We helped protect the natural places in High in 1999 to aid in reaching these goals. Park with our litterless lunch contest and by Programs were initially offered in summer pulling garlic mustard leaves.”— Avery, age 8 only and were designed to highlight the diversity of life in the park, to demonstrate Stewardship, by defi nition, is something the degradation of High Park’s natural areas that happens over time. A key lesson for the and to provide opportunities for community environmentally literate is that there are no participation in remediation efforts. Through quick fi xes for the ecological problems we the years, the Centre’s program offerings face. Whether it is conservation or restoration, continued to expand. By 2005 the Centre had care-taking is something that requires hard S become a year-round outdoor environmental work, perseverance and learning from our Y A education facility, offering programs for mistakes. Potential stewards need the chance W elementary schools and local families, to become actively involved over time in H T highlighting stewardship and ecological caring for ecosystems; a variety of seasonal A P themes specifi c to the season. actions give a fuller picture of the vigilance required. 9 Education for Curriculum Perhaps more importantly, seasonal programming allows people to see and learn from the fruits of their work over time, the successes, failures and somewhere in-betweens! In the children and families enrolled in four-season programming at the Nature Centre we are beginning to see their sense of accomplishment and connection to High Park. As they continue to grow with us, we hope to instil in them a sense that their efforts make a difference to the long term well-being of the park, and to the city in general. Understanding “We got to get more involved with nature.”— Eve, age 9 “What do you think High Park looked like when dinosaurs were alive? I hope our seed balls grow into awesome tall grass.” Community Building – Martin, age 8 “I like the hikes, learning about nature and being Responsible stewardship also depends on with the other kids. I’d never gotten to spend so knowledge of ecological processes. Only by much time in the park before. I tell my family, experiencing nature throughout the seasonal friends and classmates about what I did at changes can the intricacies of interdependence Ramblers.”—Jack, age 8½ be realized. Four-season programming allows students to make larger connections A big part of being a responsible steward and to think of nature as a living, dynamic is passing on knowledge and information reality. In a time of uncertainty around the to others in the community. Four-season effects of climate change, greater emphasis in programming gives participants the chance environmental education is being placed on to come to the park in ever-widening roles: monitoring. At the Nature Centre, we engage as student, family member, club member, people in keeping records of such things YS as migration, bird populations, budding, camper, naturalist and friend. Children, ey WA fl owering and spread of invasive species. parents, teachers and staff who visit the Horsl H This not only allows participants to observe Nature Centre are then able to expand their ah AT the fl ora and fauna in the park more closely, roles in their communities, and share their Sar P it also allows us to recognize and evaluate interest in nature with others. dit: e 10 subtle changes over time. cr Art Education for Curriculum At the Nature Centre, we have been able can share personal stories relating to place to create a unique “family of families” who with others. spend a great deal of time in the park in all weather and seasons, appreciating the natural Offer Opportunities for Stewardship environment, picking up garbage and trying to educate others about how to be responsible No matter what kind of green space you are park users. working with, there are always things people can do to take care of it: picking up litter, Making It Happen! Some Tips for Four- planting native species, weeding, feeding Season Programming birds, watering and sharing information are just a few suggestions. There are many great Offer a Variety of Doors to Nature monitoring programs in place to help you get started with information gathering, such At the Nature Centre, we aim to offer many as PlantWatch and FrogWatch. You can also different program options for people to get consult your local government to fi nd out if involved at their comfort level. In addition to and how your green space is being managed. school fi eld trips we have naturalist clubs for kids, family walks and workshops, volunteer Let Nature Guide Your Programming! opportunities, summer camps and programs for daycares, Guides and Scouts, ESL groups, Four-season programming should emphasize and youth from at-risk environments. natural seasonal occurrences. Again, this Offering a variety of themes also helps; is where people who know the place are ecological learning and stewardship can often invaluable. Whether it is squirrel, frog or be effectively paired with games, the arts, or cricket mating, trilliums blooming, acorn even fantasy (our “Fairy Friends and Gnome harvesting or monarchs migrating, there is a Homes” program is very popular!). time for everything in nature. When you get to know these rhythms, are able to recognize In addition, we have found it benefi cial to them and are familiar with the locations market ourselves as four season. In 2005 we where to observe them, programming is easy! introduced “High Park through the Seasons,” which gave school groups a discount when For more information about the four-season they booked a program in each of fall, programming offered by the High Park winter and spring. Since then the number of Nature Centre, please visit www.highpark.org. “Through the Seasons” classes has risen from 5 to 17. References Dedicated Staff/Volunteers City of Toronto Parks and Recreation. (2002). High Park woodland and savannah The greatest asset to four-season outdoor management plan (Toronto: City of environmental education is the people Toronto). who know the place. Guides, interpreters and volunteers need time to explore and fall in love with a particular environment, Katie Krelove has worked as a Nature Interpreter S whether it is a public park, garden, river or at the High Park Nature Centre for the past two Y A overgrown fi eld. Make sure plenty of training years. She has a Bachelor of Education and was W is allotted in the form of long rambles armed a presenter at the 2007 COEO conference. Katie H T with guidebooks. Recruit the help of local extends thanks to Diana Teal, Kim Steel, Jack A P naturalists who know the area. It is especially Groombridge, Shonagh Nell Lyden-Elleray, Avery inspiring if guides, teachers and volunteers and Owen Fisher, Eve Baker and all the other 11 High Park Ramblers.