Sierra Club hopes to expand Wild Child program

The Sierra Club is aiming to open a forest school on P.E.I.

The group currently operates a free Wild Child nature program on the Island. Volunteers visit child care centres and take children outside to learn more about the natural world. They learn about trees, and spend time looking at bugs.

"Sometimes it just takes someone to lead someone into an experience outdoors that takes away the fear," said Wild Child Project co-ordinator Hannah Gehrels.

"They now don't have that fear anymore and have a greater understanding and curiosity about the natural environment outside, and I think that makes a really big difference."

Gehrels would like to see anexpansion of that experience, and she's looking for partners and a place in the woodsto run a forest school.

The expanded program would have a charge attached to it. It would likely operate for a few hours on Saturdays in the spring and in the summer would go five days a week.

The forest school would need funding for staff, because there would be a high staff to camper ratio.

Anyone who wants to help fund the school can get more information on Sierra Club Atlantic webpage.

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