Thanks to donors like you, each year thousands of students participate in our Outdoor Environmental Education Program in the heart of the Dundas Valley Conservation Area.

One of the best ways to teach children about nature is not from a book, but by immersing them in the great outdoors. There is no better place to do that than in the beautiful Dundas Valley Conservation Area, and that is why the Hamilton Conservation Foundation continues to help fund HCA’s Outdoor Education Program with the support of donors like you!

This past year was a return to normal for the program following the pandemic years. Nearly 4,000 students participated in the outdoor education program in 2023, far more than double the attendance in 2022. In addition to supporting the outdoor education program with up to $125,000 annually, the Foundation also provides transportation funding for high-priority schools. Of the 102 program days in 2023, 30 were further supported by covering transportation costs.

Students love coming here, too. A class of grade seven students from Lake Avenue School recently visited and had many positive things to say. One student wrote:

“Thank you for paying for our trip to Dundas Valley I really appreciate it because we haven’t gone on many trips in the last couple years so thank you for bringing it back. The trip was very fun especially since we saw a deer and played fun
games. Thank you for paying for our trip.”

Student letters from the rest of the class echoed these sentiments, with another student writing:

“Something I really liked is when I got to see a deer, it was the first time I got to see a deer.” She continued, “I really liked Sandy and Natalie because they were nice and they changed my views on organisms and ecosystems in a good way. Thank you for your kind generosity for paying for our field trip!”

HCA’s education staff continues to grow and improve the program as well. In 2023, several new programs were piloted including one for kindergarten, Grade 2 French immersion, Grade 4 in-school offering, and Grade 9 geography. Additionally, staff worked with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s Consultant of Reconciliation and Indigenous Educational Wellness to run a program that included Indigenous learning.

The Foundation is proud to bring students to the outdoor classroom and support HCA’s Outdoor Education Program. By investing in outdoor education, you are not just sending kids on a field trip; but also cultivating a lifelong appreciation and love for the environment for the generation of tomorrow.

A special thank you to our Outdoor Environmental Education Donors including:

• CHML Children’s Fund
• Darling Ingredients
• Enbridge Inc.
• Edith H. Turner Foundation
• The Dougher Community Fund
• Hamilton Industrial Environmental Association
• and many generous individual donors