School of Woodland Ecology
School of Woodland Ecology
Our School of Woodland Ecology is an exciting new initiative we launched in 2016. We are now offering in-depth courses for adults on a variety of topics from native botany to woodlot management to ecological bushcraft camping!
Over the last 25 years, Macphail Woods has offered a huge variety of free workshops on topics from owls to botany to forest restoration and more. For many years, workshop participants have requested more intensive courses. While still offering our popular free workshops, The School of Woodland Ecology will allow participants to delve deeper into specific topics, developing expertise, skills and confidence. The core principles of these courses are plant identification, forest health assessment and practical experience. Whether a weekend nature enthusiast, woodlot owner, outdoor educator or industry professional, we will help you learn hands-on skills which will contribute to all of your outdoor pursuits.
Our teaching method is based on direct experience and observation. Students are taught to recognize keystone patterns whether in a flower or a forest. This time-tested approach works for students of every age and level of understanding and is the basis for sound ecological action. Our instructors have spent thousands of hours honing their teaching, bushcraft and forest restoration skills and look forward to sharing their enthusiasm with you.
We are dedicated to ensuring a safe learning environment for all participants and believe that sharing a love of nature begins with the care and respect of each individual.
2019 School of Woodland Ecology Courses
Multi-day Courses
Full-day Courses
Parent and Child Bushcraft
Saturday, May 18th
9am – 1pm
$45
There is great joy in sharing the wonders of nature with children. Join the capable staff at Macphail’s for a day of camp fires, shelter building and games. Adults and children alike will learn practical skills that include fire and knife safety, basic plant identification and wilderness navigation. Start your family adventure!
Click here to learn more about our Parent and Child Bushcraft Course.
Woodland Ecology:
An Introduction to Forest Stewardship
Saturday, October 5th: 9am – 4pm – $100
Macphail’s Woodland Ecology course helps landowners gain the knowledge and skills they need to enjoy, improve and manage their own woodlot whether it be creating better access, harvesting wood or creating a refuge for local wildlife.
Over the one-day course students will gain hands-on experience in pruning, plant identification, habitat improvement, harvesting, forest management, and more.
The Backyard Arborist:
Proper Pruning and Planting
Saturday June 15th: 9am – 1pm – $45
Focusing on hands-on learning, the Backyard Arborist course will teach skills that you can take back to your yard to help ensure the vigour and beauty of your trees and shrubs.
Over the four hours, participants will learn proper pruning techniques to help maintain healthy, attractive and safe trees; transplanting methods for ensuring healthy root growth with little die-back; and how to plant so that your young trees and shrubs will thrive and prosper. These skills will help gardeners of any variety enjoy, enhance, and improve their yards, hedges, and gardens when at home or at the cottage.
Identifying Native Trees and Shrubs
Saturday, June 29th: 9am – 1pm – $45
Learning how to recognize our native Island plants is a core skill whether you are a woodlot owner, nature enthusiast or someone who wants to live off the land. Often, learning what plants live around you can seem like an indomitable task but keeping your eyes open for certain patterns can help to unravel the mystery.
At Macphail Woods, we often find plant identification to be a humbling task. No matter how adept or knowledgable you may be, the natural world is full of surprises and riddles for those looking. Solving these is a very rewarding experience that will open your eyes up to the world around you and help in many of your outdoor pursuits, from harvesting firewood to camping to birding and more.
Click here to learn more about our Identifying Native Trees and Shrubs course.
Introduction to Native Botany
Saturday, July 20th:
9am – 1pm – $45
Plants are amazing organisms. Every year more scientific discoveries shed light on the fascinating lives of plants from tiny algae to ancient trees. A basic knowledge of botany can help with many outdoor activities from pruning to planting and forest restoration to harvesting while enriching forest hikes and seaside walks.
This is a great course for any who have a love of nature and particularly for gardeners, woodlot owners, biology students, environmental educators and any one who likes to put on a pair of boots and get out on a trail.
Click here to learn more about our Introduction to Native Botany course.
Chainsaw Safety and Maintenance
Saturday November 2nd & Sunday 3rd:
9am – 3pm – $200
Burning firewood can be an affordable and potentially carbon neutral way to heat your home. However, the vast majority of fuelwood is harvested from clearcuts and even homeowners cutting their own wood can damage forestland.
This two-day course will introduce participants to all aspects of sustainable fuelwood harvesting: chainsaw safety, plant identification, forest ecology, tree felling, pruning, troubleshooting and more.
Click here to learn more about our Chainsaw Safety and Maintenance course.
Complete Wilderness Skills
Saturday, September 28th
9am – 4pm – $100
Spend a fun day developing your outdoor savvy. Learn to tie the most essential knots, light a fire safely and consistently, hang a tarp quickly and securely, chop wood, build a tripod, pack essential kit and much more. The goal of this course is to make you comfortable and safe in any natural environment. Whether you’re out for a picnic, hike or expedition, these skills will serve you well.
Click here to learn more about our Complete Wilderness Skills course.
Location
We use our very own Nature Centre, located on the Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead property, as a home base for all of our outdoor activities. Located just 20 minutes east of Charlottetown, the Macphail Woods Nature Centre has a variety of teaching spaces and is surrounded by 140 acres of forest and field. Winding through the property are four trails, a stream and one of the province’s finest remaining examples of our native Acadian forest.
Click here to find us on google maps!
Cancellations and Refunds
All campers are to be prepaid. However, refunds are accepted up until 2 weeks before the camp date. You will receive a full refund up until a month before the class date. Half the class cost will be refunded if you cancel between a month and 2 week before the class. If you would like to cancel within two weeks of the class no refund will be issued.
Registrations
All registrations are made online through Active Network’s Camp and Class manager. If you have any difficulties or would prefer to register with us directly, please contact us at danielmcrae@macphailwoods.org or by phone: (902)651-2575.
Nursery Catalogue
Calendar of Events
