Personal Narrative: Outdoor Education

A hike through Camden Hills State Park will allow one to see the aged and looming American Beech trees, scattered throughout the forest populated along with Eastern White Pines and Big Tooth Aspens. Many may not know of the bitter yet beneficial tea that can be made from the White Pine's needles, or that the dandelions at your feet can be picked and used in many different recipes. Once the trek to the peak is made, many people from a wide variety of locations may be found picnicking, socializing, or just relaxing and taking in the view, all of whom have a mutual respect for the outdoors.

It was not until my Sophomore year I became interested, curious and passionate about the outdoors in an elective class called Outdoor Education. Flipping through the pages of my tree identification book, I followed a guide to distinguish whether or not the particular tree in front of me was a Black Spruce or Red spruce, a difference only a learned outdoorsman would know. After the

confirmation by the teacher of the groups' conclusion that this tree was in fact a Red Spruce, I only wanted to learn more about the trees in Midcoast Maine. Tree identification sparked an odd note, a passion and respect for the outdoors previously never present, driving me to learn more. And that I did. A year later, after many hours spent outside walking through the woods, trekking through the lawn or climbing up a mountain, I can recognize a majority of the species of trees in Maine, along with a few edible lawn weeds and wild plants.
The sudden spark of interest not only led me to acquiring a unique skillet, it also created new opportunities.

Not long after I realized how much I enjoyed the outdoors, I joined the Outdoor Club, a school sponsored group that goes hiking, camping, and backpacking, a plethora of enjoyable activities. The only problem was my close-mindedness, my inability to socialize with new people, people I had never met before. The love for nature was too strong, and it trumped the fear of branching out, and I joined the group. Through the group, I have met and spoken with many people of many different backgrounds, such as the French tourists in Acadia National Park, or the other members of the club that I was formally not familiar with. New friendships have been built and my ability to interact with strangers has evidently improved, as I no longer walk by an unknown hiker and become nervous from a loss of words, I rather become eager as to exchange stories, relevant and not to the mutual desire to be in

nature.
Hiking atop Maines' tallest mountains, picking out the trees and talking with people from around the world, is not the only interest I have acquired. In Horticulture II,
a class centered around plant biodiversity and The Seed Saver's Exchange, I became aware of the everlasting problem humans are facing: a loss of biodiversity. In this class students all chose their own Heirloom Seeds to order and plant, partaking in the Seed Saving Project themselves. Not only did I grow a variety of pepper and a particularly interesting plant known as the "Toothache Plant" in the class, I took it upon myself to start helping the cause in my own time. In the spring I grew a variety of bean whose parent seeds were found in a cave, nearly 10,000 years old, and next spring I would like to join the Seed Savers Exchange personally, and plant and harvest many more Heirloom Seeds.
A respect and love for the outdoors and nature has caused a significant change in who I am, the knowledge I am motivated to acquire, the people I know, and the causes I would like to be a part of.