Local teacher brings love of nature conservation into the classroom

Chris St. Peters brings the great outdoors into local classrooms.

A supply and long-term occasional teacher at the Upper Grand District School Board for over seven years, the Guelph resident has begun to add a twist of nature-based learning into the daily curriculum.  

The founder of Adventures with Nature, St. Peters said there is nothing more he would rather do in his spare time than bring awareness about the importance of conservation to students of all ages.

“I love the whole sense of wonder when it comes to learning,” St. Peters said.

“I figured out that there are lots of ways to do that with students. And it starts with learning ourselves. We are all lifelong learners.”

A fascination with nature-based learning came later in life for St. Peters.

“My mom was a teacher and she got me into the whole teaching world. I was really interested in the whole realm of it. But I never really knew what type of teacher I was meant to be,” he said.

“While teaching, I met my partner, Ginger. She kind of got that whole love of nature out of me. Before I met her, I had never even been camping or anything like that. After seeing her wonder with nature, I started to see it too.”

So, St. Peters began his own research, learning on his own.

“I did cultural studies in university, never really any science.  I didn’t get that connection with nature until more recently when I began to wonder about bumblebees and how they hibernate,” he said.

“I decided to do a bit of soul searching. And that’s when I came across the outdoor education system which I was very interested in. But I wanted to take it a step farther.”

Attending a First Nations Land and Resources Management Conference,  St. Peters met with people in different conservation streams inspiring him to think about how he could bring this type of education into the school system.

Two years ago, St. Peters went on to create Adventures with Nature, a program focused on conservation education. Ever since, he has offered lessons across Wellington County that revolve around sustainability and the environment.

“It’s about how we can help to restore our land, back to when the European settlers came her over 300 years ago, and working with nature as a circle rather than as a product,” he said.

St. Peters uses a variety of resources including books, posters, media, television shows and documentaries for students to learn about all that the outside world has to offer.

“Just researching on my own, I have learned about a whole other world and an appreciation for life,” he said. “It’s fascinating how much we can do as individuals."

St. Peters said it’s also important to be a good neighbour to all nearby furry friends.

“You can do this through simple acts like having a pile of leaves in your yard all winter long so different animals can hibernate underneath them. There’s so much you can do to help a possum, skunk, or raccoon,” St. Peters said.

“And I’ve been reading a lot about ‘tiny forests’ where you can create an oasis right in your own backyard. We should have been doing this all along."

Where do people start? St. Peters believes it's through education.

“With Adventures with Nature, I do family fun nights, I have been contacted to take part in events including the multicultural and medieval festivals in Fergus,” he said.

St. Peters has also visited area parks and other public events.

“All of this has given me a chance to connect with other educators.  I did a talk at the University of Guelph Arboretum. The Ontario Society of Environmental Educators reached out to me. It was wonderful,” St. Peters said.

“So, I have now figured out what type of teacher I want to be, a conservation educator.”  

Bringing along his stuffed animals and stories, St. Peters combines nature-based learning with the regular school curriculum, adding a different kind of fun to learning.

“I’ve been referred to as 'a field trip in the classroom'. I hope that I can spark some wonder and show kids that you can start anywhere,” he said.

"I have a bumble bee stuffed animal, I carve staffs, and I create stories based on facts about animals. Everyone can be scientist. I work with anyone at any age. It doesn’t matter.”

Anyone interested can reach out to St. Peters through Instagram.

"My goal is to eventually turn this into a nonprofit kind of business where I can come to schools and offer that field trip experience in the classroom. And if people want me to supply teach for them, I will do that too." he said.

St. Peters' goal is to teach people about the power of working together.

"I do this because it is important. We can all work together. The power of friendship can help us reverse climate change," he said.  "And who knows what that can turn into? I think something pretty cool.”