When we spoke to members of The Willowell Foundation, Jen Olson & Tasha Ball, about the Wren’s Nest, we realized there’s so much more to this story that needs to be explored. How we contextualize our relationship with nature is so important, and getting kids interested in it at the ground level may have far-reaching implications.

Matt Schlein is the founder and director of The Walden Project and The WIllowell Foundation. As you may know, Willowell offers nature-based education programs and activities to help connect communities to the natural world. While Wren’s Nest is their preschool program, The Walden Project offers alternative public education for grades 10-12. We talk about the origins of the foundation, why connecting with nature is so important, and how we can get this level of education across the world.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• The origins of The Walden Pond Project and The Willowell Foundation
• Creating a K-12 experience where students are immersed in nature
• How Willowell is allowing kids to recontextualize nature
• Finding the universal in the particular

Resources:

• waldenprojectny.com
• willowell.org
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthew-schlein-33a47b19
• 156. Connecting Kids to Their Community & Environment with Jen Olson & Tasha Ball