All around the globe, people need connection to nature and to each other – even in some of the most nature-rich places on the planet. When I think of the remote island nations of Micronesia and Melanesia, it is easy to imagine lush jungles and beautiful turquoise water full of wildlife. I think of people …
In the work of conservation and nature education, we are increasingly focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion. What do those words mean? How can we implement programs that are truly inclusive? How can we create truly equitable experiences, access and opportunities? How can we raise up diverse leaders? I just spent days at a conference …
When I tell you I love my dad, I mean it with my entire being. When I think of a human so imperfectly perfect, he always comes to mind. It’s amazing how the things he would say to me still resonant in my daily life. His death is what really showed me the level on which …
Emily Binford’s reflections from leading her first bilingual camping trip with Families in Nature This fall, I taught nature lessons from our new Ecologist School Curriculum at TA Brown Elementary School. Mid-semester, we took a group of their families out to McKinney Falls State Park to camp, fish, hike, and enjoy some Texas beauty. It …
Read more Secrets of Leading a Fun Camping Trip for Beginners
Sunburnt Reef My passion for our oceans and coral reefs started in 2010 when my family was relocated to Australia. My family returned to Texas after four years in Australia, but the awe of the Great Barrier Reef stayed with me. After the move back, I learned that mass coral bleaching is devastating corals on …
Read more For the Love of the Ocean – A Story of Youth Leadership
As Families in Nature’s newest and youngest employee, I was very honored to be invited by my Executive Director to attend the 2017 Children and Nature Network conference in Vancouver, BC. When I got to the conference last Tuesday, I was very excited, yet a little trepidatious as I had no idea what to expect. …
As I look at the calendar and realize that school starts in only two weeks, I am taking a closer look at our time – who will sign up for what activities, who needs a carpool, how I will fit in work and driving three kids to their after-school activities, and what we should really …
The art created by children (and parents) in Austin Families in Nature shows the inspiration that time in nature has provided. AFiN participants have created visual art through drawing, sculpting, photographing, sewing, and burning wood. And they have expressed themselves through words written on their blogs and in their journals. …
Last weekend, Families in Nature camped out in the group site at Goose Island State Park.This was a camping trip where everyone from all of the different AFiN groups was invited to attend. Although no one knew each other before this trip, everyone had a great time. The kids became instant best friends, building sand castles …
Read more Camping and watching Whooping Cranes in Rockport, TX
AFiN families ventured into Barton Creek with the City of Austin Watershed Department’s Todd Jackson (an amazing teacher whose enthusiasm for insects is contagious). Kids ranging from 4 to 16 explored alongside their parents in search of aquatic macro invertebrates. The species that were found were then counted and used to measure the health of …
Read more Studying Aquatic Insects Through the Eyes of a Child
