Our Approach

Nature’s Backpack follows a land-based, child-led approach to education inspired by Jon Young’s Principles Designed by Nature, as introduced in The Coyote’s Guide to Connecting to Nature. This framework recognizes that meaningful learning happens when we align with the rhythms of the natural world and nurture curiosity, creativity, and connection.Our pedagogy is built around:

  • Natural Cycles: We follow the seasons, weather patterns, and ecological shifts of our local landscape. Activities and themes emerge from what is happening on the land.
  • Curiosity-Driven Learning: Children are encouraged to follow their questions and interests. Educators serve as mentors who support discovery rather than direct it.
  • Learning Through Play and Story: Games, storytelling, role play, and nature-based myths are key teaching tools. These help children retain knowledge and connect emotionally to what they learn.
  • Hands-On Experiences: Learning is rooted in doing—tracking animals, foraging, building shelters, making fire, and caring for the land.
  • Relationship-Building: We emphasize connection—between children and mentors, between peers, between generations, and most importantly, between people and the land.

This approach cultivates a deep sense of belonging, ecological awareness, and life-long learning. It also supports social-emotional development, resilience, and leadership in ways that conventional classroom settings often cannot.

 This approach enhances engagement, provides transformative experiences, and illustrates how unexpected life events can be overcome with out-of-the-box and collaborative thinking. Inevitably, disconnecting from the grid, participants develop meaningful connections to themselves, each other, community, and to the wood-wide-web. These connections foster the growth of internal and external wisdom. Naturally, participants enhance their physical, cognitive, and emotional wellbeing, which in turn sow the seeds for reciprocal and interdependent relationships into adulthood and throughout life. This process empowers individuals to discover the greatest teachers: the ones who reside within the interconnected nature of being.

We Believe...

the land is our greatest teacher. Through respect, relationship, and reciprocity, we nurture deep connections to nature, self, and community. We believe in lifelong learning guided by curiosity, gratitude, and stewardship — where each person grows into their fullest potential while caring for the Earth and all living beings.

Rhonda “Redwolf" Sage
Executive Director and Founder.

Rhonda grew up on a small hobby farm in Severn Bridge, Ontario. As a child, she could always be found exploring the great outdoors, making forts, lighting fires, catching frogs, making fishing poles out of sticks and eating raspberries (lots and lots of raspberries. 

Rhonda, mostly known as Red Wolf, runs Nature’s Backpack like a well-oiled wheelbarrow—slightly squeaky, full of dirt, and always headed somewhere fun. As Executive Director, she’s part forest guide, part chaos coordinator, and a lifelong nature nerd with a deep love of learning.
Rather than crafting lesson plans, Rhonda excels at spotting and capturing learning moments in the wild—whether it’s a squirrel debate, a mystery mushroom, or a child discovering gravity via a mud puddle. She’s known for turning everyday chaos into connection and delight—whether she’s negotiating with toddlers over stick collections or convincing teenagers that compost toilets are actually really cool.
Certified in more things than a wilderness first aid kit, Rhonda brings heart, humour, and boots that are always muddy. She might not know where the duct tape is, but she does know where animals sleep, where the frogs are calling, and which stump has the best fungi this season.
When she’s not keeping the campfires lit and the kids engaged, she’s back at her mini-farm sipping tea with her unofficial support team—two dogs, two cats, three sugar gliders, a hedgehog, and one very chill gecko.

Meet Our Current and past Land Instructors and Volunteers

Jaedyn "Sparrow" - Nature Educator

Hi I’m sparrow, I’m a new educator at Natures Backpack. I have been working with kids and youth for about 5 years now. I love the outdoors and learning new things about nature. I’m planning on going to school to get my early childhood education. When I was 16 I went on a 16 day canoe trip down the blood vain river in lake on the woods. Canoeing has been a big part of my life for a long time. I’m excited to share my experiences with the kids at nature’s Backpack and learning more about the kids!

Binoculars from Nature's Backpack

Jason "Raven" - Nature Educator

Jason “Raven” – more information coming soon.  Nature Detective, Earth Worth and Board Member – Staff

A Big Thank you to our Past Volunteers and Staff

Swami BitterGoat

Amiththan “Swami BitterGoat”

Past Staff

Bunny

Alicia “Bunny”

Past Volunteer

Gecko

Rohan “Gecko”
Past Staff

Kit

Samantha “Kit”
Past Staff

Jocelyn

Jocelyn

Past Staff – Wild Wee Ones Staff/Educator

Coyote

Past Staff – Earth Works Staff/Educator
Binoculars from Nature's Backpack

Otter

Marshall “Otter”

Past Staff – Wild Wee Ones Staff/Educator

Marta

Marta

Past Staff – Wild Wee Ones Staff/Educator

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Natures' Backpack Land-based Learning Centre

Explore. Discover. Connect.

Yes, we are here too – The behind the scenes but always present, Board of Directors – Jason, Sylva, Kaylee, and Madison. Thank you to those that were here before us and made this space, and those that will come after us for carrying on the torch.

Land Acknowledgment

Nature’s Backpack Land-based Learning Centre is grateful to live, work, and play in the traditional lands of the Peskotomuhkati Nation within the Wabanaki Confederacy, protected by the living, reaffirmation of the Covenant Chain, known as the 2016 New Wampum: Peace, Trust, and Friendship (Treaty). Canada sits on unceded and stolen Indigenous land – find out more here: https://native-land.ca/ We are committed to the process of decolonization as an action, not a metaphor.

Read LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT