Trainer and Indigenous Information Holder Ozawaa from Wasauksing First Nation
It’s no secret that there’s a rising disconnect between youth and nature, and never simply in city areas the place entry to pure areas and outside studying alternatives could be restricted. Books, akin to Richard Louv’s well-reputed Final Youngster within the Woods: Saving our Youngsters from Nature-Deficit Dysfunction (2005) dropped at the forefront the problem of how the disconnect with nature is impacting the well being of youngsters and society.
Dozens of different research, akin to these reviewed right here by the Youngsters and Nature Community, have proven that connection to nature shouldn’t be solely optimistic for the well being of our kids, but additionally doubtlessly for planetary well-being as effectively. The schooling efforts undertaken by Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere are motivated by these research, since they present that point in nature throughout the transformative years earlier than maturity can play an vital function in fostering life-long environmental stewards.
To assist join extra youth in Georgian Bay Biosphere communities to Nature, we’ve partnered for the previous few years with NatureHood, a program created by Nature Canada (supported by Setting and Local weather Change Canada) that funds neighborhood occasions, applications, and sources geared toward decreasing limitations to accessing nature. NatureHood is a nationwide initiative that helps organizations like ours cut back obstacles akin to transportation and monetary constraints, in addition to different limitations akin to these skilled by marginalized populations.
With NatureHood’s assist once more this yr, Georgian Bay Biosphere Mnidoo Gamii is thrilled to proceed providing a spread of alternatives for younger folks by our Children within the Biosphere (KITB) program.
This consists of the Georgian Bay Nibi Water Pageant, which made an thrilling return in 2025 after a six-year hiatus. Held at Killbear Provincial Park (Mukwa Nayoshing) throughout the mid-Could burst of sunshine, the Pageant welcomed near 100 junior degree elementary college college students from three totally different college boards to find out about water conservation and deepen their relationship with Georgian Bay, Mnidoo Gamii. The day was crammed with laughter, and studying on the shore of the Bay, because of all who collaborated, together with Ozawaa, a neighborhood trainer and Information Holder from Wasauksing First Nation who shared many teachings, together with that of Grandmother Water Walker and the water safety motion she impressed.
Lisa Ross, native educator and Indigenous Information Holder
By means of a spread of ten totally different hands-on actions facilitated by 40 Parry Sound Excessive Faculty volunteer college students, youngsters explored subjects like aquatic invasive species, macroinvertebrates as indicators of water high quality, shorebird migration, the significance of fresh water, Indigenous water stewardship teachings, and extra. “My favorite half was with the ability to present youngsters with a possibility to interact and join with the Bay.”, shared a Grade 10 pupil volunteer. In accordance with Ms. Lair, a neighborhood Parry Sound trainer whose junior class participated, “The excessive schoolers did a tremendous job main their teams and interesting the scholars on the Water Pageant. And since then, again in school, we’ve included a bunch of water pageant exercise connections into the classroom by our social science, Indigenous language, and science curriculum.”
The Nibi Water Pageant is only one a part of broader efforts of Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere (GBB) to foster youth environmental stewardship and non-colonial methods of regarding lakes and rivers and the species that depend on this land and water for all times. Lisa Ross, a neighborhood Indigenous Information Holder who not too long ago supported one other youth management day run collectively by Georgian Bay Youth Local weather Collective and GBB, shared teachings concerning the Robinson Huron Treaty and the unique folks of this territory who’ve at all times cared for this land and proceed to take action right this moment. Lisa taught concerning the significance of water safety and the way we’re all related to the water, reminding the youth that, “Seven generations in the past, our ancestors prayed, sang, and gave thanks for the water — not only for themselves, however for us. And now it’s our duty as folks of Turtle Island to hold that work ahead, to guard the spirit of the water for these but to return, seven generations forward.”
Lisa supplied GBB a useful reflection about this vital work connecting youth to the lands and waters, “I do know not everybody will keep in mind each (music or) phrase I spoke, but when even a type of songs finds a spot of their bundle, then I’ve completed what I got here there to do.”
Chi-miigwech to all these working to encourage the subsequent era of environmental stewards!