Nighthawk Program Director and co-founder, Chelsea Ernst, studied ecology and herpetology in college before delving into the survival skill world. After gaining over a decade of experience teaching naturalist skillsets for other businesses, Ernst and co-founder Tyler Doyle founded Nighthawk Naturalist School with an emphasis on making the connection to nature accessible and immersive for everyone. Nighthawk Naturalist School is now in its fifth year of programming.
The school offers programs for both kids and adults ranging from nature camps to survival immersion courses and the upcoming firecraft and fire keeping workshop on Sunday Nov., 12.
These kinds of naturalist practices can connect participants to mankind’s ancestors and the natural world.
“We all have this connection to the earth when we’re kids. Here in Bend, we’re in this outdoor community but out in the world and as we get older, I think we can get farther from that connection,” Ernst said.
“These are skills that all our ancestors have practiced and are the reason humans are still around,” Ernst laughed. In modern times, fire crafting skills continue to be relevant for outdoor enthusiasts, campers and survivalists.
A fire-making workshop is all about hands-on learning. Participants get to experiment with different fire-starting tools and techniques. “There’s a few different methods that we go over during the class,” said Ernst. “The most challenging one is the bow-drill method; it’s completely friction-based and it’s pretty awkward to learn at first,” she continued. Each method offers a unique experience, and the class encourages participants to practice until they’ve achieved mastery.
Mastering the art of fire-making begins with a deep understanding of the basics. This class encourages creative thinking and resourcefulness, ensuring that participants are equipped to handle a variety of real-life situations. “I love people who are passionate about wanting to try something new, and have an interest in connecting with the earth,” said Ernst.
This article appears in Source Weekly November 9, 2023.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
