by Anthony Sanchez, Eagle Eye Institute

Eagle Eye Institute's goal is twofold: to involve urban youth in developing their environmental leadership skills, and to diversify the natural resource professions. Drawing on reflections from YouthBuild participants and adult instructors, Anthony Sanchez describes EEI's "Learn More About Forests" (LMAF) tree-climbing program: a three-day training that promotes personal growth, environmental stewardship, and community service.

I was on a street, wish t was a yard playing in a sandbox where I could be a god. My life would be so different if, instead of buildings, I could look at trees.
And instead of sounds of cars I heard the wind and the rustling of leaves.
My life would be so different if I only had the chance to walk barefoot on the soft forest floor and to see the sights, to hear the hooting of the owls, and see the stars at night. My life would be so different, who knows what I would be if I grew up with the sounds of nature and knew the beauty of the trees.

Imagine a young person growing up in a city, never having the opportunity to venture out into natural places--imagine living around buildings, removed from natural beauty. We often hear how music can make a difference in the life of a young person. At Eagle Eye Institute (EEI), we believe that nature, too, can have a profound influence on youth and their development. Furthermore, the development of skills through outdoor experiences can lead to meaningful careers and allow young people to play an important role in the health of our environmental community.

Since 1992, Eagle Eye Institute has been providing environmental hands-on exploratory learning programs, free of charge, to Community Youth Development organizations throughout greater Boston and the New England region. EEI is committed to diversity, so that more people are involved in the conservation of natural resources. We connect youth organizations, natural sites, and natural resource professionals in a partnership to provide our proven programs to urban youth who traditionally do not have access to the outdoors.

 

Sidebar 1 EEI Programs

The Eagle Eye Experience: Promoting Growth Through Challenge

To me, the meaning of Eagle Eye is like an eagle soaring. Since the eagles [are] always up in the sky they can see everything with their eyes--they have eight times better vision than humans. They see everything and they are open-minded--so, therefore, they can enjoy everything, or appreciate it for what it is. I think, coming down here [to the wilderness] kind of opens up your eyes. You can see a more wide variety of appreciation for nature. And it's lovely--the energy that you feel when you're out here is great. I love it . . . [when you] breathe the fresh air in your lungs, it makes you happy. That's the most important part, it makes you happy.

--18-year-old Pablo Moldonado, reflecting on his experience in EEI's "Learn More About Forests" program

It was August 8 and we were in Peru, MA--a small hill town in the Berkshires where Eagle Eye Institute leases 180 acres of forest land. YouthBuild students from around New England had arrived to spend three days in EEI's "Learn More About Forests" (LMAF) tree-climbing program and to engage in a community service project.

Twenty-two-year-old Sabrina Espanol from YouthBuild, Hartford, had left her three-year-old son with family to be there, claiming, "You have to be willing to take risks." This was the risk she was taking: coming to the wilderness she didn't know anything about, and camping for the first time. In fact, all the YouthBuild students--11 young adults who had demonstrated a capacity to perform as reliable leaders and had been selected to participate in the LMAF experience--were committed to making a change in their lives and were seeking opportunities to support that change. Not only would they get the chance to learn about trees and nature with the support of EEI, but they would also learn about themselves and each other while building a stronger network of YouthBuild.

We circled up at the top of the road. EEI founders MaJa Kietzke and I welcomed them and asked for and received their agreement to respect each other and the land.

Chris Cato, program advisor for YouthBuild USA, set the tone for their involvement:

You are here because you are willing to push yourselves, challenge yourselves, explore outside of your comfort zone--and we'll do it together. Remember we're all responsible for the journey we will be on together and it's necessary that we be mutually accountable for the success of the experience.

We formed groups, each group taking on the responsibility of specific leadership roles that would be rotated throughout our time together, and walked down the mile-long gravel road carrying everything we would need for the three days.

The goal of the EEI/YouthBuild collaboration was promoting growth through challenge and presenting opportunities the young people would not have been open to otherwise. And indeed the youth faced many challenges over the course of the three days--leaving the city, camping in the forest, being with other people, and taking on new responsibilities, to name a few. After arriving at the Eagle's Nest (the center of the property, and the place from which our experiences are born), our first task was to put up the tents. This was a major feat in and of itself, for many participants had never slept in a tent before--this was to be their home for three days. Other tasks included cooking meals, cleaning up, tending the fire, leading rap sessions, and organizing the work and tree-climbing crews.

Along with providing opportunities for the young people's personal and interrelational development, we were committed to building in them an element of appreciation for the natural world. Pablo Moldonado, from YouthBuild, Springfield, told us how nature had affected him.

Yesterday morning I jumped in the stream, and it woke me up. I put both of my feet in there. I let it rest. And then my feet became numb. I couldn't feel it, you know. I wasn't thinking about it. I started spraying water on me. It just woke me up. And I kind of felt like a nature person. It wasn't bad. When I was walking, though, I was like, God, look what I got to go through just to wash myself! But once I got there, I felt great--I felt right. I love this all. Sometimes you got to get away from the city, from where you're living, to have room to think your thoughts out and organize them. Sometimes you got to set things aside and take a nice vacation. And there's nothing better than the wild, you know, because this is where everything is. This is how the world first began--this is how it should be.

--18-year-old Pablo Moldonado

Some of the YouthBuild students had participated with EEI in last year's LMAF program and were eager to return. Paula Griffith, an 18-year-old woman from YouthBuild, Springfield, said,

Last year when I came here, it was my first camping trip. I wasn't sure of it; I was skeptical and scared to sleep out in the woods in a sleeping bag. But I enjoyed myself and came back this year hoping to learn more and meet new people.

Learning Tree-Climbing Skills
Environmental education--learning about trees and bringing the knowledge back to the community--was an important component of the "Learn More About Forests" program. When the time came for tree-climbing instruction, EEI was fortunate to have two experienced arborists to lead the way: instructors Kenneth Gooch, the Forest Health Specialist for the Department of Environmental Management in Pittsfield, MA, and Thomas Brady, a Tree Warden from Watertown, MA. Emphasizing the importance of safety, they talked to the young people about their fears. Ken told the group that they were there to grow through the experience, and that being scared was okay:

No matter what anyone says, everybody is afraid of heights--you shouldn't be embarrassed about feeling uncomfortable . . . [in fact], you should be scared--if you weren't you could get hurt.

Ken also stressed the importance of participating fully. One young man wanted to know how this would benefit him. Ken explained his commitment and love for trees, and the need for qualified people to care for them--especially in urban areas:

It's a very open field. There is a lack of people doing it. The industry is experiencing a big surge of growth. There is a real need for arborists and we are trying to get more people interested in the "green industry"--not just arborists, but landscapers and people who put in sprinklers and lawns. As more and more people are concerned with the environment, the economy keeps growing--and there is a need for more people in the field.

Tom added,

Working for tree companies in the Boston area, you can work year-round. If you have two legs and walk upright you can get $10 an hour--and if you climb you can get $15 or $16 an hour to start. There is incredible opportunity in the arborculture industry. The idea here is to give you a snapshot of it, get you up in the trees a little bit, let you explore, and see if you like it or not. We're here as an open book. We are here for all skill levels. The idea is to have some fun and for you to see what the possibilities are.

Tom and Ken explained the use of the various tools and equipment an arborist uses for tree pruning and climbing, such as ropes and saddle and hardhat. The group began practicing the knots they would need or climbing, beginning with the throw ball and climber's knot.

Despite much fear and apprehension, everyone took the opportunity to try their hand at tree climbing. Wiping sweat from his face, 25-year-old Hector Otero from YouthBuild, Hartford, said,

I'm afraid of heights, but it's very nice--it's a beautiful thing, especially when it's a first experience. It's a team effort--you're also up there and you got your man down here and he's looking out for your life. You shouldn't even be up there without your ground man. Isn't that right Joey? "I got your back," Joey replied.

While one group began practicing tree climbing, the other group worked with EEI site coordinator Jeff Fowler installing a sink, putting a roof on the new bathhouse, and building a small walk bridge. They were eager to put their carpentry skills to use and make a contribution to the development of Eagle Eye Institute.

Taking a Stance for Mother Nature
Sabrina, who had never been camping before, took an immediate liking for the environment, as though she had been there all her life. It was an amazing transformation for her--what took place allowed her to feel a connection to something that previously lay dormant, that nature brought out in her.

When asked if this would this be a valuable experience for other YouthBuild programs, Sabrina had these comments:

I think so, because you get to find out, not just about nature, but about yourself. And if you come out to places like this and you sleep in your tent at night, you'd be like, Wow, what a good thing this is. It's amazing, right there, alone, sleeping under the stars. The most challenging thing out here for me was learning how to be a part of Mother Nature itself. Learning how to take care of it. Looking for papers thrown on the floor. Now, I'm like, "Don't drop that paper, buddy," or "Oh, go pick that up, sister." It's challenging, because now I'll go back to the city and I won't drop anything on the floor. I already know it. Can't do that to Mother Nature.

I guess I would say a lot of things happened in just three days. To feel everybody together, working hard to do something for nature is like--you can't really say a lot about it because you have to be there in the mix. But, it's awesome. Truly, truly beautiful. Just the trees, the air, the weather--beautiful. You have to go back with me next time. We have to plan a trip next time. Soon, very soon.

When Pablo was asked the same question he said,

--22-year-old Sabrina Espanol

I think this experience is very good for YouthBuild members. And the reason behind that, I think, is because a lot of people go to YouthBuild because they drop out of school, they have problems, you know, they're stressing, whatever it may be. [YouthBuild is] the alternative to get their lives back on track, and get their education, and get some meaning into their lives. By coming out here I think they have more time, more room, to get their thoughts together. They can think clearer and positive. I think it's great for every YouthBuild program to come here and experience this. Because, like I said, it's very relaxing and soothing--very.

He paused and looked up at the clear blue sky, gathering his thoughts:

Eagle Eye is great. I really appreciate Anthony and MaJa for creating this. Because it gives us the opportunity to feel what they feel. To get a rhythm, to get a vibe from what they feel--and I feel it. Keep this up, and hopefully, I'll be back here next year, or even sooner to help, you know, build a foundation or help out whichever way I can to make this better for everybody. I'm very thankful for being here and sharing this experience. And I'll take it back to my YouthBuild, my family, and all my friends, and tell them about this: Support and love and appreciate the forest for what it is. Because this is where we come from.

Sidebar 2 Trees Are My Friend

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