Holistic Tracking Class at Riverstone Organic Farm

Learning to Read and Live The Great Story
“I am trying to teach you that this alphabet of “natural objects” (soils and rivers, birds and beasts) spells out a story. Once you learn how to read the land, I have no fear of what you will do to it, or with it, and I know many pleasant things it will do to you.” –Aldo Leopold

The ancient/modern art/science of tracking requires knowledge of ecology, animal anatomy, behavior, weather, seasons, soils, and self. The tracker uses highly developed attention, perceptual skills, patience, creativity, and imagination to notice and interpret information on the landscape, wherever it may appear!
To register, send me an email at naturalintelligencedesigns@gmail.com
June 27 and 28th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Riverstone Farm, 708 Thompson Rd SE, Floyd, VA 24091, (650) 814-6426

Cost: $40.00

Maximum 12 participants

Suitable for mature, interested children, approx 12 and up, and adults of all ages and maturity levels

Some one-day spots for either Saturday or Sunday may be available for $25 each, depending on overall registration, but I highly encourage anyone who can to sign up for both sessions.

The Basic Toolbox of Tracking:

This workshop will be a balance of exploration, experience, activity and information. I will ensure that each student begins to develop, and takes home for their continued use and growth, their own “Basic Toolbox of Tracking.”
What to bring:

Water bottle and snacks

Small daypack or fanny pack

Small pocket sized notebook

Pencil

Small tape measure, 3 to 10 ft range is fine. (I have a few to lend if necessary)

Small flashlight

Camera/camera phone

Small folding knife

Bathing Suit and Towel

Water shoes

Lunch

About Michael Blackwell:

I have been studying tracking since 1998 and teaching it since 2000. I have studied with some very skilled trackers, including Tom Brown, Jon Young, and Rob Speiden. I designed and taught “The Art and Science of Tracking” for Virginia Tech’s Honors program from 2008-2012, have taught a variety of tracking and nature-based learning skills throughout the region for the past 10 yeas. In 2013, I presented a talk on the power of awareness and curiosity, and on tracking in the “real” world at TEDxVT: Forget What You Know.