Learn about: Eastern Woodland Clan - Tracking and Earth Skills Club

Learn about: Headwaters Earth Skills Gathering

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Welcome to the Earth Mentorship Programs. We run a wide range of programs designed to help both increase participants knowledge of the natural world and deepen their personal relationship with it. Ancient wilderness living skills and naturalist knowledge are often a foundation for many of the programs we run.

Our programming specialties include:

Custom Programs for Groups & Events

Open Enrollment Wilderness Skills Programs

Staff Training for Outdoor Education Centres, Wilderness Outfitters, and Teachers

Wilderness Canoe Trips and Winter Expeditions

Please browse our site for more information on our programs and philosophy. Feel free to e-mail us with any questions or comments at: chris@earthmentorship.com

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Below is a message from Earth Mentorship Programs founder and lead instructor Chris Gilmour:

I work as a Wilderness Guide and Outdoor Educator in and around Southern and Central Ontario. I live in a little town just north of Huntville, Ontario. I am fortunate to be surrounded by some of the most diverse mixed woods forests in Canada. I also live half an hour from Algonquin Provincial Park.

I have had a strong love for wild spaces since a little child and have spent the majority of my adult life living and playing in the wilderness. I have and/or still do work as a contracted guide for companies such as Outward Bound Canada, Northern Edge Algonquin, Chocpaw Expeditions (Dog Sledding) and Northern Tier (Boy Scouts). I am also a WMA trained Wilderness First Responder.

One of the most influential observations I have made since working in the outdoor education industry is that very few people are observant of natures cycles and the ways that they effect every aspect of our lives. Many people feel like a separate entity from the natural world and know very little about it even though nature gives us everything we need to partake in our modern lives, from wood for our homes, food for our bellies, or metal for our cars, tools, and toys.

I am very passionate about my studies of the natural world. I love practicing ancient ways such as: tracking, nature observation and wildlife studies, learning about edible and medicinal plants and practicing primitive living skills such as: Starting fires without matches, bow and arrow making, container making, hide tanning, navigation without modern tools, and many many other skills.

I run a number of different programs and am always developing new ones. Programs help people re-connect with the ways of the natural world, increase their knowledge of nature, and become more comfortable and at home in the woods.

My specialty is using primitive living skills such as harvesting wild plants for food and medicine, making fires with ancient techniques, forest crafts, sense awareness exercises, and much more to help participants grow as individuals and form more meaningful relationships with the land that supports us. Please browse this site to learn more about my programs and philosophy.

Sincerly,

Chris Gilmour