LAC LA BICHE - A local family program aims to teach children and youth not only the fundamentals of wilderness survival, but to instill in them a sense of community obligation and environmental stewardship.
Natasha Downes is a leader and parent volunteer in the Lac La Biche branch of the Alberta Boreal Explorers Junior Forest Wardens Club. Downes and members of the local group were at an outdoor session at the Shaw Lake staging cabin in Lakeland Provincial Park recently. She explained that the objectives of the program are outlined in four pillars: forestry, leadership, ecology, and woods travel.
The youngest members begin their journey as Pathfinders before ascending the ladder to the ranks of Trailblazers, Adventurers, and finally, Challengers.
“During wilderness hikes and campouts, our members – who are between the ages of six and 18 – learn about the various types of trees in local forests … and how to prevent forest fires,” she said, explaining that many aspects of wilderness education are shared in the program.
For any dedicated outdoor enthusiast, having the tools to survive in the bush is crucial. Therefore, Junior Forest Wardens are provided with plenty of hands-on guidance in a range of skills from the proper construction of shelters to navigation and first aid. Forest smarts such as ensuring that all fires are completely extinguished, and no scraps of food are left lying around campsites that could attract unwelcome wildlife are also schooled into the kids.
“Members also learn how to safely use knives and other tools,” she stated, adding that by doing so, these youngsters not only learn practical skills for life, but also how to be responsible.
There is a strong environmental component of the program, one that is designed to get members familiar with the various types of wildlife and how they interact with local forests. While the learning is geared at the junior forest wardens, many of the projects are put together so the entire family can take part.
“The parents and other adult volunteers accompany the kids on wilderness hikes, where they are taught how to follow animal tracks,” Downes expounded. “Furthermore, we teach them how to plant trees and collect water samples from nearby lakes and ponds, after which they identify various microorganisms using a magnifying glass.”
In keeping with the theme of being environmentally friendly, Junior Forest Wardens, when not learning the ins and outs of bushcraft, head indoors to work on craft-making projects comprised almost exclusively of recycled materials such as tin cans, buttons, empty milk cartons, even old pieces of wood.
These projects include making knife sharpeners, walking staffs, birdhouses, as well as toques. The knitted head-ware comes in especially useful during the group’s annual winter campout weekends.
Leadership skills
Junior Forest Wardens are also moulded to be the leaders of tomorrow, and impressing upon them a sense of responsibility and community mindedness is vital.
“The kids learn leadership skills through community projects such as carrying firewood, picking garbage along the sides of roads and participating in shoreline cleanups,” Downes said.
Now a regional operations manager with Alberta Parks, Downes grew up in Rocky Mountain House where she was a Junior Forest Warden during her childhood. She’s happy to pass on her love of the organization to others.
“In an era where kids don’t spend enough time outside, it’s essential for them to be in nature as much as possible while also spending time with their families,” she said.
While there is undoubtedly a serious educational component to being a Junior Forest Warden, at the same time, there is no shortage of fun and games. And after a long day of filling their heads with knowledge, members and their parents can be found sitting around a campfire singing songs and roasting smores.
Enjoying the program
For Junior Wardens such as Nikolas Mandel and team leader Lily Bakker, it’s all about being in the great outdoors and always learning something new.
“There’s nothing quite like having fun in nature,” said Mandel, who recently reached the level of Trailblazer.
“It’s important to learn how survive in the wilderness and build fires and shelters,” added Bakker.”
