Want to get off the pavement and into the woods? Workshop helps families enjoy the great outdoors

If there's one positive thing to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's that it has drawn many new people to the solace and safety of the great outdoors.

Families that never experienced as much as an old-fashioned boil-up are buying Kelly Kettles, hiking boots, snowshoes, fishing rods and the like. They're picking their own berries and mushrooms, learning to set rabbit snares and Googling outdoor tips and ideas.

Those with previous outdoor experiences, meanwhile, are spending more time than ever in the woods.

While fishing and hunting have been my primary outdoor pursuits over the years, there are countless ways to enjoy all that nature has to offer.

Still, though, some residents of our cities and more populated areas remain hesitant about leaving the pavement and making tracks though the forest or even one of the many scenic and peaceful camping parks throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

The first step is to get your feet wet, so to speak.

Enter the province's Becoming an Outdoors Family program. It's been in operation just a few years — a spinoff of the highly popular Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop, which has been around for an impressive 27 years and counting. Both programs are operated through the province's Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

"We had been listening to participants in the BOW program and knew there was a need for a program that included families," said Salmonier Nature Park training officer Debbie Howell.

"When COVID limited our ability to run BOW camp programs with shared accommodations, we recognized the opportunity to expand the program into a family one and keep families in their 'bubble.'"

The program and feedback have been "amazing," she said.

"We always have a long waiting list," she said. "The comments from participants are always very positive and families are eager to learn.… It's so rewarding to share outdoor knowledge and skills with families and to watch the children learn in nature."

So far, Howell said, the family programs take place only at Butterpot Provincial Park, but organizers would love to expand to other parks in the province and are looking for the potential to do so.

This year's family program will be offered June 22-23 at Butterpot. The workshop is designed for families with limited outdoor experience and teaches basic skills to help them prepare for a lifetime of outdoor recreational enjoyment. 

The three-day, two-night program offers camping basics, including outdoor cooking, campfire safety, basic survival, avoiding wildlife conflicts, wildlife and plant identification and archery basics.

Registration for the 2024 family event opened Saturday. Fees are $15 per family group. Limited camping spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested groups can request a registration package via email or can call 709-229-7888.

As a city boy who "branched out" relatively early in life and has spent a considerable amount of his last 45 years taking advantage of life outdoors, I can tell you I've enjoyed every moment. There isn't a psychologist or physiotherapist out there who can do more for your mind and body than time in the woods.

No other member of my immediate family is the outdoorsy type, although my athletic father, who didn't join me in any outdoor pursuits until he was in his 60s, thoroughly enjoyed his few moose, caribou and rabbit hunts with me. Before Dad passed away in 2021 at the age of 83, he often told Mom that those trips were the best times of his entire life.

Had this outdoor family workshop been available when I was growing up, I certainly would have tried to talk Mom, Dad and my siblings into taking part, and I have no doubt they would have made their share of tracks in the woods.

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