OUR STORY
Ventura Wild was founded in 2009 by professional outdoor educator, Heather King, and local parents.
Heather King, Rita Maes, and Alison Bradley founded Ventura Wild, with support from Sara Benjamin. Ventura Wild began under the umbrella of Oak Grove School, a private school located in Ojai, California. In 2014, it moved to the Ojai City Recreation Department to grow capacity and accessibility for youth across Ventura County.
In 2020, Ventura Wild became an initiative of Ventura Land Trust (VLT). We are now the educational component of the VLT mission along with “Nature By Design” (school-based field trips and session-long programs). Together our goal is to create highly impactful comprehensive nature-based learning experiences.
OUR MISSSION
Ventura Wild aims to foster a meaningful connection between children and nature. Our programs instill a sense of belonging by nurturing awareness, knowledge, skill, and stewardship in the natural world. Our team of trained educators facilitates a transformative experience for participants, offering them opportunities to enhance their understanding of the natural world through safety skill development and exploration.
The program's core philosophy revolves around learning through awareness, investigation, and play, ensuring participants acquire lasting knowledge through guided self-discovery. Each session is designed to encourage students to expand their sensory awareness, allowing them to immerse themselves in the natural world. Our educators prioritize the importance of questioning the patterns and rhythms presented by nature.
Ventura Wild sessions are structured to incorporate wilderness skills, providing dedicated time for practice and development. Students actively learn and apply essential skills such as mapping and compass orientation, plant and animal identification, hiking safety, and safe outdoor recreation. By emphasizing hands-on learning in outdoor settings, Ventura Wild plays an important role in shaping the next generation of land stewards.
The acquisition of these skills not only establishes a connection to wild places but also instills the confidence to engage safely and mindfully with the broader world. Ventura Wild, through its approach, seeks to contribute to the development of responsible and conscientious individuals who appreciate and safeguard our natural environment.
“If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the Earth before we ask them to save it. Perhaps this is what Thoreau had in mind when he said, ‘The more slowly trees grow at first, the sounder they are at the core,’ and I think the same is true of human beings.”
David Sobel, "Fighting Climate Change Through ‘Nature Connectedness’"