Know a young adult seeking a deep nature experience? There is a new adult program to be aware of in our region for young adults seeking an alternative to traditional college. Living Earth School’s (LES) new program in Albemarle County is called Deeper Roots Immersion and is designed for (approximately) college-age persons. It is a 3 days-a-week for 9-month deep dive into earth-based curriculum — covering Wilderness Survival Skills, Ecology, Permaculture, Community-Building, Bird Language, Community Peacemaking, Natural Movement, Natural Hazards, Reading the Landscape, Full Sensory Integration, Plant Identification, Ethical Foraging, Fire Cooking, Tracking, Fire-making, Shelter-Making and much more.

This intimate immersive program offers a blend of discussion-based and experiential learning, woodsmanship, handcrafting, tool use, stewardship, expeditions, team building, leadership, and wilderness living. Students will develop a diverse skill set and knowledge that fosters a harmonious relationship with nature. The mix of hard and soft skills cultivates deeper relationships that build empathy, values, passion, and a deep sense of quiet that will help inform the next steps in life.

This program is perfect for young adults taking a gap year from college; college credit may be possible. Read more here: https://livingearthva.org/deeper-roots-immersion/

Another long-term all-age adult program at Living Earth School –now in its 9^th year—is Living Earth Adult Foundations (LEAF) which runs one weekend a month for nine months and covers a similar curriculum to Deeper Roots Immersion. Kate Guenther writes: “I did this program eight years ago and it deepened my connection to nature past just the head-learning to the deep nature-connected heart-learning…connecting me with nature, self, AND a beautiful community.”

Sandy Greene reflects on her participation in the program: “Life-changing. These folks have deep naturalist knowledge and share it generously, things like complex scat and track identification; identifying a Louisiana waterthrush even from a partial call; rare plant id when hardly anything even shows.” Read more here: https://livingearthva.org/adult-courses/empowering-adult-nature-connection-class/ 

Living Earth School also offers many 1-day workshops in spring/summer and while the schedule is still being finalized for 2023, topics that are being considered include hide processing, primitive pottery, mushrooms and more. Check LES offerings out to take your naturalist training to an even deeper level!

More info? Email HMN member and LEAF participant Kate Guenther at goatherderkate [@] yahoo.com to chat about LES offerings.

– Kate Guenther, Cohort I, January 2023

Photo courtesy of Living Earth School

The Living Earth School is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to connecting students with nature, themselves and community.

https://livingearthva.org/info/about-living-earth-school/