L.I.N.E. - Lessons In Nature Education

L.I.N.E. is primarily a wilderness or primitive skills education mentoring project. The point of L.I.N.E. is not to teach physical, spiritual, mental or emotional living skills, but rather to help students develop their skills so that they can teach them to others. If you are seeking to learn a skill, go get a book, research via the Internet or attend a class focusing on that particular skill. After you have done some research, go practice the skill so that you won’t be quoting someone else’s experiences every time you open your mouth about the subject. You cannot effectively teach a skill until you have lived it and it becomes a part of you.

Some of the classes from L.I.N.E. will focus on one skill. These classes are typically skills that are not available from other sources. An example would be “The Moon of the Clacking Rocks”. This class takes students into the field for hand on practice identifying, selecting and collecting the rocks that they then make into tools. Most classes on stone working focus on one or two types of stones and students rarely collect their own material.

Students of L.I.N.E. events are encouraged to take comprehensive notes during all classes, and to journal their experiences from the trips, quests and other excursions. Participants of the L.I.N.E. project are required to submit copies of their notes in a typed, outline style format each quarter for review by their mentors. These notes should be based on what they have learned, and include short reflection stories of their personal experiences with the skills. These stories and outlines are for their use when they are presented with an opportunity to teach or lead a skills workshop or demonstration.

The L.I.N.E. project is directed by Joe Beardsley, a long time student of primitive skills, wilderness living and all things nature. His studies have led him to classes taught by Tom Brown Jr. of Tracker School, Eddie Starnater of Practical Primitive, Jon Young of Kamana Naturalist Training Program, Frank and Karen Sherwood of Earthwalk Northwest, Ben Sanford of Tribal Edge, and many others. As well, he has been a wilderness skills instructor for the Howell Mountain Pathfinder Club for over ten years. Currently Joe is a director of Back 2 Earth School and is also working towards a degree in Parks and Recreation Management through Northern Arizona University.

If you would like to become a participant of L.I.N.E. or you have any skills that you would be willing to share, teach or mentor someone in, send me an e-mail to the address at the bottom of the page.

Lessons In Nature Education (L.I.N.E.) attempts to comply with all ADA policies and guidelines. If you have any disability we will work with you to ensure that you are able to participate in all programs and activities.