Since 1970 the Nature Area at Wagner Ranch Elementary has provided thousands of children with unique outdoor, experiential education that has impacted generations of Orindans.
The negative effects on mental health, particularly among young people, of Covid and post-Covid isolation are well known. According to an Oct. 2023 article in EdWeek.org, “Why America Has a Youth Mental Health Crisis, and How Schools Can Help,” depression and anxiety among young people, by some measures, doubled as the COVID-19 pandemic dragged on.”
The positive effects of outdoor educational programs, like those run by the Friends of the Nature Area (FONA) and the Orinda Union School District (OUSD) are many: improved cognitive performance and ability to transfer learning to everyday situations; reduced sedentary behavior; positive relationships with the environment and development of practical skills and an understanding of nature through first-hand experiences. It provides an active and engaging setting for exploration and an increased motivation to learn.
The Nature Area has been used for outdoor education since 1970. Naturalist Toris Jaeger has run the programs there for 46 years. Students have enjoyed courses about science and history, such as Rancho Days, Pioneer Days and summer camps run by FONA from 2009 to 2020. The advantages of learning natural history and environmental studies in a hands-on setting are profound.
For example, whittling an elderberry stick and then decorating it with a swatch of leather and a feather to create a native peoples’ modeled musical instrument can be transformative for a child.
Sitting in the history circle and passing around artifacts, like an old tool or iron from the past, make that history lesson tangible. Measuring a mock rancho’s perimeter with natural hide and wood “riatas” and then drawing the map and having it approved by the “magistrate” (teacher) is imminently informative.
Learning from a textbook can’t compare to these experiences.
It is for these reasons that the history programs were such a popular field trip for Orinda schoolchildren. Our teachers appreciated the incomparable value we offered and many lament the lengthy pause in programming.
Around 12,000 student participants loved these offerings and have given very positive feedback. This is shown by the number that later became involved as volunteers (thousands). Letters, emails, notes and other evaluations exhibit this.
Many have become FONA student board members of the 501c3 organization. These students learn “the joys” of attending and participating in board meetings, casting their votes on important projects, providing presentations and status reports to the board – valuable real life experience!
Tyler Tse, a Miramonte High School senior and FONA student board member has been volunteering at the Nature Area with friends for about four years.
“The Nature Area and its volunteer programs are a fantastic community resource for educating youth and adults alike,” said Tse. “My experience as part of the student board for the Friends of the Orinda Nature Area has been amazing and the adults involved in the organization, like Reg and Toris, are among the most educated and intelligent people I have met.”
Amelia Chen, another board member, said, The Nature Area has always been a home for her.
“In elementary school, I grew up going to after-school programs and attending Rancho Days. As a high schooler, I volunteered every Sunday and became a student board member,” said Chen. “The Nature Area gave me a deep sense of appreciation for the environment. I also found a special sense of community that is unlike anything else. Now that I’m in college, I continue to cherish the Nature Area and look forward to visiting it whenever I’m in town. I can’t imagine Orinda without the programs and enrichment that the Nature Area offers.”
The Nature Area is a special place in Orinda. It has been used for teaching, learning and general enjoyment of the natural world. Many have loved and been influenced by its people and programs. FONA, working with OUSD, is proud to have been part of this.
Do you have a story about your Nature Area experience? Share it at FWRNATreasurer@gmail.com.
Contributing Writers Daniel Phillips and Liliana Spindler can be reached at umpolung13@yahoo.com.
