120 episodes
Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based Education Podfox Media
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5.0 • 21 Ratings
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Welcome to the Forest Educator Podcast hosted by Ricardo Sierra. Join Ricardo as he engages in enlightening conversations with educators from across the globe who are revolutionizing nature-based education. Drawing on his 35 years of experience in wilderness education, Ricardo shares practical insights, tools, and best practices to inspire and support forest educators and camp staff worldwide. Tune in twice a week for interviews with passionate educators and skill spotlights that delve into the challenges and triumphs of the field.
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The Value of Soft Skills and Deep Land Connection in the Canadian Shield with Chris Gilmour
Life in the Great White North can be cold and hard at times, but that makes the warmer seasons all the sweeter, from Maple Syrup Season to Sumac Gathering and so much more. The power of nature is reflected in daily life, and living close helps us see the metaphors and parallels that we echo in our own human cultural patterns.
Join Chris Gilmour and I as we explore forest educator training, youth adventure, stories of beaver ponds and much more in this episode. Chris shares powerful lessons that draw from over twenty years as an outdoor professional, leading groups, apprenticeships and foraging programs, with his experience in wilderness survival, bushcraft, nature awareness and earth living skills too.
It was really interesting to hear his perspective on the value of the 'Soft Skills' that are often misunderstood or underutilized in many traditional wilderness programs, and how they are shaping his training and students in powerful, beneficial ways.
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Connect with Chris:
Website: https://www.chrisoutdoors.ca/
Wild Muskoka Botanicals Website: https://wildmuskoka.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisoutdoorson/
Wild Muskoka Botanicals Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildmuskoka/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChangingWorldProjectChrisOutdoors
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisoutdoors/?trk=public_profile_recommendations&originalSubdomain=ca
Email: Chris@chrisoutdoors.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisoutdoorsmentoring
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisoutdoorson?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0zB5lj6iB9vK8Eg5n4X2Yesa0zvz2pHJC4IhqVpe3Hd_MmBSrEiyRK2qQ_aem_R2l6Dd2Vh8liJszokrSGsA
Forest Educator Bonus Content Page:
http://foresteducator.com/bonuscontent
Join the Forest Educator Patreon!
https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast
Connect with Ricardo:
https://www.foresteducator.com/
https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/
https://www.hawkcircle.com/
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra -
Forest Educator Spotlight: Survival Trek, 1986
It was early August, in Harlemville New York. It was a six week immersion into the natural world, in one of my first 'wilderness skills learning intensives', with just a few tools, a blanket and a desire to see the world from a different perspective.
This episode is a recounting of some of my adventures with wildlife, and why I still can't stand roasted apples.
Thank you to the listeners who have been asking for more stories. These are for you!
Forest Educator Bonus Content Page:
http://foresteducator.com/bonuscontent
Join the Forest Educator Patreon!
https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast
Connect with Ricardo:
https://www.foresteducator.com/
https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/
https://www.hawkcircle.com/
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra -
Forest Educator Spotlight: The Value of Goals, Metrics and Evaluating Your Outcomes
In the olden days, before the internet, when you ran a workshop or a skills class or wild foods program, you could usually skip the student evaluation forms and questionnaires. Participants just 'got the experience' and that was the deal. There wasn't any trolling, or review bombing, because there were no online reviews. You might get a letter, if people felt a certain way about your offering, but often times it was something positive rather than negative.
In 2024, however, outcomes and evaluations matter. We have a lot more opportunities to connect with our students, and understand the class from their perspective, and it's a whole new world.
Quite frankly, it's a much better world.
The simple truth is this: The more we ask, the more we know, and the faster we can get better at what we do.
This episode is a quick dive into understanding the importance of understanding our metrics, gathering data, self evaluations vs outside assessment, setting our own goals and best of all, how they can help make us better educators.
Forest Educator Bonus Content Page:
http://foresteducator.com/bonuscontent
Join the Forest Educator Patreon!
https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast
Connect with Ricardo:
https://www.foresteducator.com/
https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/
https://www.hawkcircle.com/
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra -
Forest Educator Spotlight: Navigating the Inner Barriers of Visionary Work
It's one thing to have a 'vision' or idea that is inspiring and exciting and full of hope and promise. It's also a WHOLE other thing to actually bring it into the real world, grounded and fully expressed and achieving outcomes.
When we take that leap into the unknown, it's scary, risky, stressful and even wonderful; a lot of intense emotions all rolled into a kaleidoscope blender that most of the time, we are not fully prepared to handle.
Sometimes, we even have unexpected 'inner barriers' that show up, with hesitation, procrastination, tangible fear in sharing something from the heart, rejection sensitivity and anxiety. These inner challenges are no joke, and they can stop our visionary work in its tracks if we don't figure out how to navigate and work around them.
In this episode, we explore these issues and more, with an emphasis on solutions and strategies that can help us keep going.
Forest Educator Bonus Content Page:
http://foresteducator.com/bonuscontent
Join the Forest Educator Patreon!
https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast
Connect with Ricardo:
https://www.foresteducator.com/
https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/
https://www.hawkcircle.com/
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra -
The Visionary Work of with Monica Eastway, Eco-Geriontologist
There are literally piles of research about the benefits of contact with nature for human beings, and most of the time, we think of 'forest experiences' primarily for children. Monica Eastway shares her work with people who are in their 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's, and why nature is vital for this segment of our community. She shares stories of how nature experiences improve the quality of life for those in managed or skilled care facilities, and her quest to facilitate change
as a true paradigm shift for ALL of us.
We discuss some of the work that's being done in the Netherlands, Finland and Esalen, CA, and the impact that nature can have for families and people of all ages. Her vision includes helping our American fear of 'growing old' and seeing the aging process with grace, self acceptance and even joy.
Monica's website: https://www.monicaeastway.com/
Monica's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-eastway/
Join the Forest Educator Patreon!
https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast
Connect with Ricardo:
https://www.foresteducator.com/
https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/
https://www.hawkcircle.com/
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra -
Forest Educator Spotlight: Harnessing the Nature of Time
Ever since I was a kid I was always fascinated by the concept of 'time'.
I know I am not alone, because it's a pretty popular theme over the last four decades or so. Madeline L'Engle's Wrinkle In Time was one of my first steps into a different world. The time differences in the world of Narnia was pretty interesting! Then came the wildly unexpected Time Bandits and the fun of Back to the Future. The Time Lords and Dr. Who. The resetting of time in Edge of Tomorrow high stakes battle for Earth. Hot Tub Time Machine. The compression of time in Interstellar and Inception. HG Wells' The Time Machine. Groundhog Day. The Time Heists of Avengers: Endgame and the TVA of Marvel's Loki were some of the more recent forays, but there are literally tons of shows like Quantum Leap, or Travellers, or The Umbrella Academy and yes, Outlander....
I'd like to believe that time travel is possible but it's probably not, at least, not in the way that these shows seem to depict it. However, there are some situations and experiences that I have had in my forays into nature and leading groups that have broadened my understanding of time and its paradoxes and oddities and gifts, so, I figured we better talk about it!
No hot tubs required!
Join the Forest Educator Patreon!
https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast
Connect with Ricardo:
https://www.foresteducator.com/
https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/
https://www.hawkcircle.com/
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra
Customer Reviews
Great Advice From A Long-Time Industry Veteran
Ricardo’s podcast is full of great advice for those in the outdoor industry, as well as for those considering a leap into it. He has decades of experience teaching and mentoring in the forest. Definitely worth a listen. I look forward to each episode.
Captivating and thought provoking!
Ricardo is a captivating storyteller. I often feel like I’m sitting around the campfire while listening to this podcast. Given his decades of experience in the field of outdoor education, he brings a wealth of clearly articulated value, entertainment and thought provoking ideas. Keep up the good work Ric!
I'm not a "forest educator" review - love this pod!!
I’m not a “forest educator” but I enjoy engaging with the natural world. I know a little about tracking and bird language, I may nibble on a ‘wild’ edible while on a hike, and I’ll start a fire with a bow drill when camping, etc. - I don’t expect I’ll ever run an outdoor school but I will share what I know with family and friends. The interviews and Spotlight episodes on The Forest Educator Podcast help me to better appreciate what I know, help me identify what I don’t know, and offer guidance as to what I might need to learn or do a little differently to feel more at 'home' and a little safer whether I’m out on a hike or in my own backyard. Additionally, I found some of the lessons provided by Ricardo in his Spotlight episodes - such as “The Many Gifts of Rain,” “The Forest Entrepreneur,” or “The Contradictory Nuances of Nature Awareness” (to name just a few) - translate into my ‘everyday life.’ Guests interviewed on the pod generously share their passion and wisdom - I've gained 'life lessons' and other insights from pod guests too (as I write this, there are 40 episodes(!) up)! Best of all, the podcast may have even offered me a gentle nudge a few times to go outside. Ricardo is positive, uplifting, and smart – while also “keeping it real.” So much food for thought, so much to learn! Thank you for this podcast, Ricardo!