Lee, Jean and Paul Berensmeier
Founders 1999
The Beginning
Wilderness Way was originally the Berensmeier families name for outdoor
family fun projects. In 1999, Paul and Jean Berensmeier, turned these
family projects into school projects. They voluntarily taught environmental
education to 185 students during 158 class meetings and field trips in the
1999-2000 school year in the Lagunitas School District. They worked with 9
teachers in the A&E, Public Montessori and Open Classroom programs. The
activities and projects were part of science, math, social studies and art
curriculum and included exciting field trips to observe coho salmon
spawning, raising steel head trout eggs in the classroom, tracking, plants
and wildlife studies, outdoor observation and survival skills, learning and
practicing traditional Native American skills as well as a Wilderness Way
Physical Education program and Salmon Festival. The following year
Wilderness Way incorporated to give more attention to defining an
environmental education program that served both school children and
community.
ABOUT WILDERNESS WAY
Wilderness Way is a nonprofit, environmental education organization founded
by the Berensmeier family. It serves the local schools and community.
Students participate in ecologically responsible projects in the San
Geronimo Valley watershed that emphasize conservation, restoration,
stewardship and respect for the environment. Classroom instruction,
projects and activities include hands-on experiences with salmon, steelhead
trout, native and non-native plants, wildlife, habitat restoration, and
Native American studies and values. These indoor and outdoor activities
provide interdisciplinary opportunities for teaching science, math, social
studies, art, drama, music and poetry. Through these experiences Wilderness
Way guides, develops and nurtures knowledgeable students who care for the
Valley and will steward it wisely.
A few specific examples of our projects and programs: Students have made
Salmon and Trout Crossing signs at school, in Woodacre, four bridges in
Samuel P. Taylor State Park and six bridges in Fairfax. They raised
steelhead eggs in the classroom, did several local restoration projects to
benefit coho salmon and steelhead trout, built a watershed model of the
Valley, built a tule reed boat (and sailed it), created a Creek Care Guide
for every Valley resident and done numerous art projects and environmental
study field trips.
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that
will endure as long as life lasts. Rachel Carson
Back To Top
