Certifications, Trainings, Workshops | Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center | SIU

Our Leave No Trace program teaches outdoor ethics and conservation. We offer both Master Courses and Trainer Courses, as well as various children's workshops for groups or organizations.

Leave No Trace

Wilderness First Responder, January 2025

When Calling 911 is not an Option

Experience the highest quality wilderness medical training available. All students successfully completing this 72-hour course will receive a three-year certification from Wilderness Medical Associates. Topics include patient assessment, body systems, equipment improvisation, trauma, environmental medicine, toxins, back country medicine, wilderness rescue and much more.

Be prepared for a lot of time spent outside. Plan according to the region and time of year. Participants will sign up directly with Darren Stokes, the instructor. Once registered, participants will get an email referring them to Touch of Nature to get food/lodging arranged.

For more information on the program, visit Wilderness Medical Associates.

Dates: 

Full Course - January 4 - 10, 2024

Recertification - January 11 - 13, 2024

Lodging packages for the course are separate from the course registrations and include rustic and hotel style accommodation options. 

Workshops for Education Professionals 

These programs are experiential and are designed to align with state learning standards. Touch of Nature also holds various conferences annually where educators can learn new skills and take what they've learned back to their classrooms. Below are some of the programs Touch of Nature can provide.

Growing UP Wild is an early childhood program written primarily for children ages 3-7. It is designed to connect young learners with nature, inviting them to build upon their sense of wonder with the natural world through a wide range of activities and experiences. Find out more details at http://www.projectwild.org/growingupwild.htm. 

Project WILD is a wildlife-focused conservation education program for K-12 educators and their students. Several different programs within the program designed to connect students with wildlife, the natural world and natural resources. Find out more details at  http://www.projectwild.org. 

Project Learning Tree, for students PreK-12, uses trees and forests for windows of the world to increase students’ understanding of the environment and learn about actions they can take to conserve it. Its activities are practical, hands-on and fun, and aligned with dozens of state and national academic standards. Find out more information at https://www.plt.org/.  

Aquatic WILD is a curriculum within Project WILD, which introduces students K-12 to the wonderful world of water in all its forms and associated activities. Find out more details at http://www.projectwild.org/aquatic/.  

Flying WILD is all about our feathered friends. The program mainly targets middle school children, and offers practical hands-on classroom and outdoor field investigation experiences in a whole-school approach to environmental education, using birds as its focus. Find out more information at https://www.fishwildlife.org/projectwild/flying-wild.

Project WET’s mission is to reach children, parents, teachers and community members of the world with water education that promotes awareness of water and empowers community action to solve complex water issues. It does this by offering training workshops to educators at all levels, offering and inspiring community water events, and much more. Find out more at https://www.projectwet.org/ .