We want to get people engaged with the outdoors.
Here are some of the ideas we're working on for the future!
These are all in the "idea phase" of development and are subject to change. We encourage you to send us any comments or suggestions! Contact information is in the top right of the page, or waaaaaay down at the bottom!
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The Nature Walk
Ah, the great outdoors! Nature Walks are the quintessential way to connect with the natural world, and Back To Earth plans on hosting a ton of them! We plan on hosting Nature Walks throughout the year, in places all around the city of Winnipeg. We will be starting local, but plan on taking our walks to parks all over! Imagine a day hiking leisurely through the beautiful dappled sun in Bird's Hill, or the rewarding trickle of sweat down your brow as you climb the sand dunes of Spruce Woods - We have big plans, and want you to be a part of it! Not all of our Nature Walks will be themed, we want to host as many as possible, and sometimes it's just nice to go for a stroll and see what you can see, but we also want to keep people engaged, so check back often to see what's coming up! Here are some of the walk themes we're thinking about right now... Signs of Spring – Focused on finding the first emergent vegetation in the area, as well as animal activity indicative of Spring. Think the return of geese and ducks, the gentle drip of melting icicles, and the eagerly anticipated sound of birdsong in our local woods! Oh, and baby squirrels. Can't forget the baby squirrels. Edible Ecosystems – How cool would it be to learn the edible and medicinal plants of the area? How about some tips on how to both harvest and prepare them, as well as determining how to distinguish non-edible and potentially toxic plants? Yea, very cool. And handy! - We would ideally love to incorporate cooking into this type of walk, perhaps even bringing along a chef to prepare some wild fare for us! |
Tracks in the snow. Can you figure out who made them?
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Migrating Birds (Spring/Fall) – Situated right in the middle of the Mississippi Flyway, Manitoba (and the lovely city of Winnipeg) are hot spots for watching migrating birds! Every Spring and Fall we get to witness birds of near endless variety make their epic journey across the continent. On a walk like this, we would grab our binoculars and spotting scopes and look for our feathered friends as they make their way North or South. Even a short trip out to Saint Adolphe or the Pembina Valley are options. These are some of the best places in the province to observe migrating hawks and eagles!
Clean-up Walk – A Nature Walk with a slight twist! Participants will be armed with garbage bags and will take part in picking up litter along the way. A way to get people outside, as well as build community pride. It's a beautiful world out there, and we should do out part to help make sure it stays that way, all the while having fun!
Micro Habitats – Lurking in the grass and soil, under tree bark, and hiding in plain sight are some of the world's most fascinating organisms! Often overlooked (because they're sooo tiny!) insects, spiders, and even some wee plants struggle for survival on the most epic minute scale! Grab magnifying glasses and we'll hit the trails, to seek out the small secrets of the natural world. When you take the time, you will see a world of unbelievable activity rolling along at a teensy-weensy scale!
Tree Trek – They're big. They're green. They're amazing. On a Tree Trek, we'll focus on identification of the different trees in the area, their natural history, and their ecological roles. Which trees make the best homes for animals? Can trees help protect us from flooding? How did the trees in the area get there? Our stoic friends can tell us a lot! A Tree Trek could be adapted in many ways, including searches for specific species, think Canada Day – we could find as many maple trees as possible! Or Arbor Day – look for as many species as you can, and marvel at our phanerophytic diversity! (phanerophyte - fancy scientific talk for "tree".)
Journey Through The Ages – Explore the history of the area and how it has changed over the ages. This could focus on pre-contact aboriginal lives in the area or the complex geological history. Imagine the area as it was hundreds, thousands, or millions of years ago. These walks might be held in succession, beginning with the distant past, and making our way towards the present! Take part in the entire series! Don't miss an episode!
Birding Walk – One of Craig's personal favorites! Armed with binoculars and field guides, adventurers do some good old fashioned bird watching! This can be done in themes, including subjects like nest-watching, feeder-watching, hawk-watching, a nighttime variant where participants listen for owls and other nocturnal birds, or simply a “let’s head out and see what we can find” approach.
There are many resources available to keep track of bird species in an area and rarities can be sought out on occasion, giving the walks a type of “mission” or “scavenger hunt” feel!
Snowshoe – A snowshoe walk. Enough said? No? Did you know that snowshoeing burns an absurd number of calories? No? Well it does. In fact, more than most types of cardio exercises! Combine that with the fact that it is incredibly fun and you've got a stellar combination! A terrific way to get engaged with the outdoors in the winter time! And don't worry, we'll make you a hot cocoa afterwards. I mean, you did earn it!
You bring the feet, and we'll snowshoe 'em up!
Animal Tracking – Discover the creatures that live in the area through the signs they leave behind, including fur, feathers, scat, tracks, and other clues. A great way to liven up a walk in the winter, a time when many people are under the false impression that very little is happening outside. We might be a bit biased at Back To Earth, but man oh man is there a lot going on in the snow!
We are very excited about the endless potential for our Nature Walks, and hope that they become a part of your routine!
Stay tuned for more details!
Clean-up Walk – A Nature Walk with a slight twist! Participants will be armed with garbage bags and will take part in picking up litter along the way. A way to get people outside, as well as build community pride. It's a beautiful world out there, and we should do out part to help make sure it stays that way, all the while having fun!
Micro Habitats – Lurking in the grass and soil, under tree bark, and hiding in plain sight are some of the world's most fascinating organisms! Often overlooked (because they're sooo tiny!) insects, spiders, and even some wee plants struggle for survival on the most epic minute scale! Grab magnifying glasses and we'll hit the trails, to seek out the small secrets of the natural world. When you take the time, you will see a world of unbelievable activity rolling along at a teensy-weensy scale!
Tree Trek – They're big. They're green. They're amazing. On a Tree Trek, we'll focus on identification of the different trees in the area, their natural history, and their ecological roles. Which trees make the best homes for animals? Can trees help protect us from flooding? How did the trees in the area get there? Our stoic friends can tell us a lot! A Tree Trek could be adapted in many ways, including searches for specific species, think Canada Day – we could find as many maple trees as possible! Or Arbor Day – look for as many species as you can, and marvel at our phanerophytic diversity! (phanerophyte - fancy scientific talk for "tree".)
Journey Through The Ages – Explore the history of the area and how it has changed over the ages. This could focus on pre-contact aboriginal lives in the area or the complex geological history. Imagine the area as it was hundreds, thousands, or millions of years ago. These walks might be held in succession, beginning with the distant past, and making our way towards the present! Take part in the entire series! Don't miss an episode!
Birding Walk – One of Craig's personal favorites! Armed with binoculars and field guides, adventurers do some good old fashioned bird watching! This can be done in themes, including subjects like nest-watching, feeder-watching, hawk-watching, a nighttime variant where participants listen for owls and other nocturnal birds, or simply a “let’s head out and see what we can find” approach.
There are many resources available to keep track of bird species in an area and rarities can be sought out on occasion, giving the walks a type of “mission” or “scavenger hunt” feel!
Snowshoe – A snowshoe walk. Enough said? No? Did you know that snowshoeing burns an absurd number of calories? No? Well it does. In fact, more than most types of cardio exercises! Combine that with the fact that it is incredibly fun and you've got a stellar combination! A terrific way to get engaged with the outdoors in the winter time! And don't worry, we'll make you a hot cocoa afterwards. I mean, you did earn it!
You bring the feet, and we'll snowshoe 'em up!
Animal Tracking – Discover the creatures that live in the area through the signs they leave behind, including fur, feathers, scat, tracks, and other clues. A great way to liven up a walk in the winter, a time when many people are under the false impression that very little is happening outside. We might be a bit biased at Back To Earth, but man oh man is there a lot going on in the snow!
We are very excited about the endless potential for our Nature Walks, and hope that they become a part of your routine!
Stay tuned for more details!
Some beautiful fungi! Any idea what they might be?
Zombie A-Park-olypse!!
We don't only want to head out on nature walks, we also want to play some epic games outside! Imagine the biggest baddest game of Capture-the-Flag ever! Get friends together, and try and outdo the other team! Roving games of CTF will be held at various locations throughout Winnipeg, and your job is to try and out-sneak, out-wit, and out-do our elite team! Nothing helps you feel closer to our lovely planet than sneaking and slithering stealthily around in the forest! As the weather warms, and our forests begin to fill back in with their lush greenery, we will be posting details about this grand activity! Capture the flag is only one of the fun team games that we plan on hosting in the magnificent parks of our great city. Let us know if there are any that are of particular interest to you, I bet we can round up a crew to head out and make a day of it! 
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Nature Photography
A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. Through Nature Photography, you can tell a thousand stories. We plan on having experienced photographers joining us to host workshops to help you get the most out of your inner shutterbug! Having trouble figuring out all the settings on that fancy new camera? We'll help you out! Not sure how to get the right light? We know folks that will give you tips and tricks to get the shot you've been trying for! Wondering where the best places to search for wildlife are? Getting outside is our bread and butter. We'll guide you to our favorite spots, and help find some of those elusive beasts! And above all else, we can help you get inspired. Sometimes the most beautiful things in nature are right under your nose. More details to come! 
Watch out! They're in the trees!
Outdoor Boot Camps!Want to get in tip top shape but hate being couped up inside a gym. Especially in the summer time... We completely understand, we feel the same way. This is why Back To Earth will be offering outdoor bootcamps for all ages and levels. Whether you are just starting out or looking to mix things up in your current routine, we will have something for you. From running to boxing, bodyweight exercises to team relays, we will offer a variety of engaging outdoor fitness activities that will undoubtebly get you sweating. Imagine yourself on a saturday morning, trying to get yourself to go to the gym... Not fun. We've been there. Instead, join the incredibly fun and motivating Back To Earth crew during their workout! You may not feel like exercising, but once you get to our outdoor gym and smiling, happy faces are waiting for you, you WILL feel motivated and the hour long workout will fly by. Remember, we are here to bring you outside and make YOU happy. We would never push you until you break something, we want you to leave being proud of your accomplishments, knowing that you did your very best. |
