Our species staff are committed to creating positive outdoor experiences for youth and adults, weaving fun, games, learning, instruction and exploration in the basket of "invisible schooling". If you are a nature educator living in Western MA and would like to offer a program through our co-operative, please get in touch.
Felix Lufkin - Director, Sumac School, Wild Edible Plant Series
Felix works with K-12, college and adult students at a number of programs in the Valley teaching nature awareness plant ecology at in and after school programs and public workshops. He has worked in the field since 2003 with well known nature education organizations like the New England Aquarium, Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies, Mass Audubon, WolfTree Programs, the Vermont Wilderness School and Earthwork Programs. He has lead nature programs at NorthStar Teen Center, PVCICS, Four Rivers Charter School, the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, and taught wild edible plants at UMass Amherst. He also directs Help Yourself, Inc.
Felix works with K-12, college and adult students at a number of programs in the Valley teaching nature awareness plant ecology at in and after school programs and public workshops. He has worked in the field since 2003 with well known nature education organizations like the New England Aquarium, Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies, Mass Audubon, WolfTree Programs, the Vermont Wilderness School and Earthwork Programs. He has lead nature programs at NorthStar Teen Center, PVCICS, Four Rivers Charter School, the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, and taught wild edible plants at UMass Amherst. He also directs Help Yourself, Inc.
Maggie Lufkin - Office Manager, Groundnut Organizer
Maggie has been in the world of nature education since 2012 and has worked at several organizations such as PVCICS, Help Yourself, The Wampler Foundation, The Hartsbrook School and Wolftree Programs. When Maggie is not in the woods with kids or on the computer for Leapfrog she run's Turtle Bend Farm with Felix.
Maggie has been in the world of nature education since 2012 and has worked at several organizations such as PVCICS, Help Yourself, The Wampler Foundation, The Hartsbrook School and Wolftree Programs. When Maggie is not in the woods with kids or on the computer for Leapfrog she run's Turtle Bend Farm with Felix.
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Arlo Zwicker - Forest After School
Arlo (they/them) is a Division III student at Hampshire College studying community involved agriculture. They've grown up in this bioregion and have taught kids programs, garden programs, and nature education since 2016. Arlo loves working with plants and food as a way to facilitate a deeper connection with nature and build community. |
Claire Guillemin - Forest After School
Claire (she/they) is overjoyed to be working as your Forest Program Instructor. They graduated in 2024 from Hampshire College with a focus on Art, Writing and Outdoor Education. They grew up in Boston but spend their free time outside the city, trail running, climbing, making art and exploring the great outdoors. Claire has always had an affinity for the woods. They are fascinated by the antithetical nature of forest, how can any one thing be so grandiose and precious, so powerful yet so fragile? What other questions can we discover together?
Claire (she/they) is overjoyed to be working as your Forest Program Instructor. They graduated in 2024 from Hampshire College with a focus on Art, Writing and Outdoor Education. They grew up in Boston but spend their free time outside the city, trail running, climbing, making art and exploring the great outdoors. Claire has always had an affinity for the woods. They are fascinated by the antithetical nature of forest, how can any one thing be so grandiose and precious, so powerful yet so fragile? What other questions can we discover together?
Dean Colpack - Mushroom Walks Series & Groundnut Organizer
Dean moved to Western MA when he was eighteen and has since fallen in love with wild nature. He has worked as a nature educator in public elementary schools, has taught holistic, ethical butchering with gratitude to adults, is a member of the Pioneer Valley Mycological Association, and has been a prison justice activist focusing on reproductive rights and abolishing solitary confinement. He holds a MSW from Smith, and is working towards a social work practice that integrates group therapy and nature literacy.
Martha Hoffman -Forest After School
Martha grew up frolicking in the forests of Eastern Mass and Maine. She graduated Oberlin College with degrees in Dance and East Asian Studies, and a passion for the wide open spaces of the midwest. In addition to working as a interfaith group dialogue facilitator and somatic educator, she has worked as a trip leader and outdoor educator at Alford Lake Camp, Camp Chewonki, Oberlin's Outdoors Club, and Earthwork Programs. Her ideal day would include discovering a hidden nature spot, picking blackberries, and hosting an extremely enthusiastic dance party!
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Sadie Ranen - Forest After School
Sadie was born and raised in the Pioneer Valley. She has lived off-grid for the majority of the past decade in a remote region on Maui. Sadie has experience working with kids in nature at a Waldorf school, Earthworks Programs and in community where she lived off grid. Sadie is a yoga teacher 400hr certified in Hatha, Vinyasa. |
Fledge Dog - Forest After School, Sumac School, Field Director, Canine Outreach
Fledge is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying long romps in the woods and exploring the forest floor from a olfactory perspective. Keen to ingest all forms of animal biomass, this thoughtful and friendly canine is a mostly good listener. Fledge enjoys playing with younger humans at Forest After School and Earth Walkers, and his unique and gentle mentoring style helps students develop comfort and confidence around other members of his largely endearing species.