Meet Anna, one of our amazing NatureKids BC volunteers that helps provide meaningful moments in nature for families in the Kitimat area!
A bit about Anna!
Anna grew up on a remote mountain farm in the Alps of Austria and has many treasured childhood memories of playing outside. She went on to get her Bachelor’s degree in agriculture and Master’s degrees in wildlife ecology and management of protected areas, later working for the Austrian Ministry of Environment with National Parks, as well as piloting models to solve human-wildlife conflicts with alpine farmers.
Captured by Canada’s stunning natural beauty, Anna and her husband moved to BC in 2015, where she worked for Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government’s Lands management. From the wild West Coast of Vancouver Island to the busy Lower Mainland, up to the vastness of Northern BC – she and her family are grateful to get to live in so many places of this beautiful province. She currently homeschools her two little children and is committed to give them a similarly free and outdoorsy childhood that she got to experience, no matter their current home base.
Why do you feel it is important to encourage families to experience nature?
It forms a special bond between kids and their parents if they can enjoy the outdoors together. They master difficult terrain together, they share their joy about new cool findings, parents can relax watching their kids play and explore happily. There are already so many things in our daily lives that keep us inside and glued in front of screens. Being in nature is a mental and physical reset that can help us take a step back and see the bigger picture. It helps us to connect with our bodies again and feel what is really important to us. In our increasingly digital world, it is all too easy to become disconnected from our natural surroundings, which, in turn, will be reflected in our decision-making and lifestyle. It is hard to care about something that you do not know.
Why is nature important to you?
Nature is important to me because we are a part of it. We cannot survive without it. We are meant to be in nature, even if our busy lifestyles constantly pull us away and distract us. Being outdoors creates space to just be and enjoy the moment.
Can you share a fond memory of a past explorer day experience?
On our first Explorer Day, I encouraged a parent to smell a wild rose flower that we were passing by, and his eyes lit up in surprise at the pleasant fragrance. On our second Explorer Day, I observed a parent showing her friend the same thing and her friend being excited. These little learning experiences add up and give us the confidence to enjoy our time outdoors. It is beautiful to watch how quickly we can (re-)learn to feel more at home in nature.
Become a member today and discover Explorer Days in your community!