Nature Based Organizations

Join our Master Naturalist guides for an online trek focused on learning and exploring the Great Lakes — places that make Wisconsin a great place to live, work or play. You’ll be able to learn at your own pace using online readings, videos, and supplemental activities to reinforce the key concepts. Instead of book chapters, the trek uses an online network of trails to deliver accessible and fact-based knowledge. Find more information and registration here:

This presentation is designed for individuals who lead nature-related field trips and outings, regardless of topic! Jane Whitney, an award-winning Wisconsin Master Naturalist who has led numerous hikes each week for many years in Door County, will give a presentation in Madison to share tips and techniques for leading high-quality, inclusive, and engaging field trips. After leading more hikes than she can count, Jane has accumulated a few ideas and tips on how to lead a hike and capture your audience. We'll cover what works as well as what might not work, how to start and finish, what to do in the middle, how to manage the group (without their knowing you're managing them), how to handle mixed groups of kids and adults, and how to answer difficult questions. In part 2, Rachael Lewandowski-Sarette, On-site and Accessibility Coordinator of Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center in Wisconsin Dells, and an award-winning nature educator, will share information with field trip leaders about how they can make outings more accessible, informative, and safe for everyone. She will describe best practices on sharing trail information, supporting mobility device access (wheelchairs, for example), thinking about resting points, incorporating multiple senses, and more.