Naturalist Training Center
John Foster
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New
England Naturalist Training Center John Foster |
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It seemed to me that I should supply a bit of a biography about
myself and update my photo; I'm older now!! I apologize in advance, for being so
self-centered, generally I let nature do all the talking and I just do the
interpreting. I feel it is very important to differentiate my unique style of
environmental education
from the many other usual styles.
I have, over many years, established myself as a leading naturalist (environment
educator). I have conducted wildlife research for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Mass. Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program,
several area land trusts and independently for my own needs. Also, I've
trained staff for Americorps, Mass. Department of Environmental Management,
Project Learning Tree, National Park and Audubon. I have worked on ecotourism
projects; leading the North Quabbin Woods Ecotourism Guide training initiative
and have worked with U.S. Rep. John Olver's Task force on Ecotourism. I have written natural
history articles for the likes of Yankee, Wild Earth and Backpacker. I am a
Commonwealth Award nominee for excellence and leadership as a naturalist; the
state's highest awards for a variety of Humanities. I conduct my own commercial
(fee based) naturalist programs throughout New England. Well know organization
like the Appalachian Mountain Club, Trustees of the Reservations, Highland
Community Initiative, Harvard Natural History Museum, Boston Science Museum, New
England Wildflower Society and Audubon have hired me to lead programs for their membership.
I have had articles written about my work from Hartford to Portland and have
appeared several times on television. I am very
familiar with New England's flora and fauna, having reported information on
species populations, ranging from terrestrial to aquatic, and plant to animal
for the region's Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Programs (NHES).
Occasionally, I sponsor luminaries of Natural History. I lead a team that brought Dr. Lynn Rogers, an expert on black bears, on a tour of New England. And helped Jon Young , a tracking expert, come and present at Amherst College.
My unique, ecology focused, hands-on programs have been crafted from many years
of extensive training, field experience, deep knowledge and a captivating
persona. Each and every program has extensive research behind it and often many
miles of field proofing and ground truthing (boots in the woods).
I design programs that are far from run of the mill. My unique presentations
rely on my extensive knowledge of nature and infectious enthusiasm. The central
message in all my programs is a "Macro view of the Micro aspects of
Nature." This view, the big picture made up of small pieces, allows the
participant to understand much more of the whole aspect of nature, creating a
foundation of knowledge and understanding. In short, I teach Ecology. C. Darwin
said "Nothing exists for itself alone." This type of instruction
strengthens the participants understanding and comprehension. It's not just a
Moose or a Hookers Orchid, but an indication of a complete relationship with the
existing environment. Whether I am teaching you how to track and read animal
signs, studying trees/plants, or knee deep in a swamp; I will use this
"whole bag" focus. My participants, armed with this focus, enter
nature study uniquely equipped to observe, understand and enjoy.
Within the letters of thanks I receive are descriptive words like informative,
superb, excellent teacher, impressed, completely new light, fortunate and
surprised. These words of praise inspire me to continue to raise my own
professional standards and level of educational efforts.
A question I get sometimes, is 'who inspired you?', the kernel of the question is what person or persons had the most influence on you to be a naturalist. I have, generally, dragged up some name like John Muir or Burrows and if the person is really different, I'll drop Enos Mills. My answers to that question has never satisfied me. The underlying problem is the real answer is "nobody but nature". I remember most the big boundary Ash tree, the small spruce swamp that I played in as a kid, all of Mount Greylock, Indian cucumbers along the logging road, the owl killed rabbit and the spruce grouse tracks on top of Mt. Mansfield at 6 am.
During the most important times, I have wandered nature
with no goal but to be with in nature. I wandered during winter, night,
day, spring, summer and fall. I climbed a mountain in August to be closer to a
lightning storm and eat hail and blueberries as the power of nature presented
itself electrifyingly close, death and beauty stood on either side of me. I
stalked up on a sleeping Coyote. (it was sleeping in a bush and woke it as I
tried to reach into the bush to touch it, damn!) Walked with my first black
bear, allowing it to lead me. I saw nature in all her times. I worked odd jobs
to keep gas in my tank. I was on top of the highest mountain in VT at midnight
with air temps of -40 F. I turned my soul over to nature. I became an apostle,
something I had always wanted, even as a kid growing up in the 60's and 70's.
In 1992 I walked on fire. Walking on fire altered the very path of my life
forever. It was to help me forge a new axel on which my universe was to turn.
Nothing was or could be as it was, everything changed. It was as if I had been
lifted from a muddy stream and placed upon a mountaintop. I could see everything
in all directions. It offered me a foundation of clarity and true that was
stronger and more present than anything I had ever felt. It gave me the courage
to turn my life back in the direction of mother nature, a direction I had travel
before but left. The longings of my return to mother earth were now an absolute
and undeniable power enameled with clarity and conviction. The mission became a
mission.
As you can see there was nobody and everybody involved in my path. Nature however, stood at each intersection, her hand constantly upon my shoulder, her breath on my check, her strength rose from the ground. It is the complete beauty and presents of nature from a single stone in a stream to an entire ecosystem that I struggle to interpret for my students. Each time I see the flicker of Nature in the eyes of a student it powers me to reach further as an educator, to raise my own bar of excellence higher.
I am not one to quote this person or that but to try and quote nature as we find her. Most often Natures words, not man's, are those that really, really inspire me and guide me.
Life is incredible,
John Foster
Janurary 2010