Resource person: byron@theguelphoutdoorschool.com

Description:

Learn The Land is a year-long adult program at GOS for anyone who wants to develop and deepen their nature connection and naturalist knowledge in a community setting.

Want to learn more about wildflowers, tree identification, animal tracking, birds, and the web of relationships that makes up our local ecology? Do you want to develop relationships with the landbase beyond consumption? Would you like to learn in the fields and forests with friends?

Learn The Land offers hands-on community based mentorship, with knowledgeable naturalists to help you get to know the wild nature in Guelph’s backyard.

What will we be doing? One Sunday morning each month, we’ll gather in a different location in Guelph to explore and look at local plants, animals and their ecological connections together in a small group setting. Through the art of questioning, open discussion, field guides we’ll come to know many of our wild neighbours.

Deepen your learning journey by joining the group for the monthly Sunday outings in the parklands, forests and along the river's edge throughout Guelph, where we will investigate the flora, fauna, and fungi we find along the way. There we will practice observation, field journals and sharing of knowledge based on what the group knows so far. We will use field guides to learn how to properly identify the species we encounter. This field work will be complimented by in depth at-home study, follow up research, focal species assignments, and self-directed projects supported by mentors through a monthly Zoom call. On the calls we will share stories, follow-up research on what has captured our imaginations out on the land, and what we have been learning through home study.

Learn The Land is an experiential naturalist training program for adults GOS-style, with a focus on curiosity, questioning, mentorship and self-directed learning at your own pace. It is for adults of all experience levels. Together we'll build our knowledge of plant, tree, and fungi identification, animal tracking, and broad ecological connections.

In the field we will be practicing awareness routines of nature connection, playing games that awaken our bodies and minds, and working toward building lasting relationships with the place where we live and with each other. We welcome everyone from the nature-curious, to avid naturalists who want to get together with others and keep the wonder alive!

Learn the Land meets one Sunday morning per month at GOS and green spaces in Guelph. The dates and locations  for the 2025-2026 cohort are:
April 27 at Guelph Outdoor School
May 25 at Arkell Springs
June 29 at South End Community Park
July 27 at GOS
August 24 at Arkell Springs
September 21 at South End Community Park
October 19 at GOS
November 23 at GOS
December 21 at Arkell Springs
Januaery 18, 2026 at South End Community Park
February 15 at Arkell Springs
March 15 at GOS

Mandatory membership(s):

• Annual Membership

Available spots: Available

Price: $1,296.00 Taxes not included

Required age: Over 18 years old on the day of the activity

Notes: Learn the Land is an inclusive, anti-oppressive space. Learn The Land will be led by byron murray and Annie Sanassian. We will be getting together throughout the year, rain or shine, every Sunday closest to the New Moon from 9am - 1pm.

Tags: Adult Workshop

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