In a way, Cataraqui Conservation’s education staff, who operate various programs out of their home base at the Outdoor Centre at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area, have witnessed Ella Coulter grow up before their eyes.
First, she was a quiet, somewhat shy, but always an engaged camper during summers at the popular Nature Explorers Summer Camp for children ages 6 to 11. Then Ella transitioned to a leader in training for ages 12 to 14 year-olds and after even volunteered to help out for a couple of summers before applying for and earning a job as a camp counsellor. This summer, Ella will take on the role and responsibility as the Nature Explorers Summer Camp supervisor after a couple of years mentoring under other supervisors and Cataraqui Conservation’s Sr. Conservation Educator learning the ropes as a valued instructor.
Born in Toronto, but raised in Kingston, Ella spent a lot of her spare time, summer vacations and family weekends enjoying the outdoors, so it made sense when her parents first signed her up for the camp. Her time interacting with the flora and fauna, frolicking in and along the shores at Gould Lake, and interactions with volunteers and instructors made such and indelible impression that it was also a logical next step that she too would apply to become an instructor at that same camp.
“I do remember clearly as a camper how cool the experience was. And there was a volunteer that I really liked and there was also an instructor, both of whom had also been campers when they were kids, so I was really excited about the idea of getting to do all that and give campers the same experience that I was offered. I also came back for a couple of weeks for the next few summers as a Leader in Training and volunteer to help out. My younger sister and a couple of our family friends were also doing the camp, so it was kind of fun to still be a part of the camp, while they were campers. And now, I am also super excited to be the supervisor and work with the instructors as well as the campers,” she said.
“This will be my fourth summer working for the camp. I did one summer as volunteer just before COVID and then checked in after COVID to see when Cataraqui Conservation were starting up again and when they did, I applied to be an instructor and was hired. I’ve been here every summer since. I really enjoy it every year. I feel like you learn so much and it’s also so nice to be outside all summer. I live in Toronto now for school [University of Toronto, studying English] so it’s different and nice to come home for the summer and then get to spend the whole summer outside and getting back in touch with nature.”
It’s an oft used expression that kids are a blank slate. Their sense of wonder and curiosity leads to an openness and a desire to know answers to their questions about how and why the world works the ways that it does. Watching the expression of recognition in the faces of the young campers as they learn about bugs, or frogs, or why wetlands are important, it’s easy to understand why those who lead these young humans on their journey of nature and conservation education speak so fondly of programs like Cataraqui Conservation’s Nature Explorers Summer Camp.
“I think it’s a unique camp in that there is so much emphasis on the importance of conservation. When the campers are coming in it might be one of their first experiences being out in nature and spending a lot of time at a conservation area. It’s a very interesting experience to start to teach them about when you can take things from nature and when you can’t; that there are certain places that are protected and the importance of that. I just think it’s so useful to have that kind of awareness that there are parts of nature that you can enjoy, there are times when picking a plant is okay, but there are also times when there’s a boundary that needs to be respected; that some plants just need to stay in the ground. It’s an important lesson that might not be taught in a lot of other places,” she said.
“And they take these lessons and these new ideas and behaviours home with them. I’ve heard conversations between kids and their parents when they get picked up at the end of the day talking about what they saw and learned with excitement.”
As well as imparting knowledge, wisdom and a love for natural experiences, the teacher is also the student, in that they learn as much from their charges as the students do from them. And it’s no different for Ella who has gained insight into the unique workings of the young campers and how that experience relates to the skills of instructing/teaching.
“Starting as an instructor a couple of years ago, I’ve met so many different kids. It’s been three summers and there have been so many kids each summer and they’re all so different, and that’s been a learning experience. Each kid is different, each kid is unique, and I think I’ve been most excited to learn how to work with all these different young ones in the context of being outside because it’s a lot different than being in a classroom. When you’re working on behaviour management, you can bring in tools from nature, like bringing in the stories of different animals and plants, and you also see the importance of getting some physical activity and getting the kids moving. I just feel there are so many ways to work with kids in nature which provides so many learning opportunities for them, but also for me.”
At this point, it’s an understatement to say that Ella is a firm believer in the benefits to all parties – the campers, their parents and families, the instructors and in her new role as the camp leader and its significance to so many kids and families throughout the region.
“This camp in particular does a really good job of emphasizing the importance of respecting and protecting nature. There’s a real focus on the philosophy of take only photos, and leave only footprints, and that the learning process is not so rigid. We do have a plan and a curriculum to follow for each day, but at this camp, we let nature be the instructor as well, kids are allowed to be curious and experience nature on their own terms,” she said.
“I remember being out front of the Outdoor Centre as a camper and one of the instructors is teaching us all about wildflowers, and how most people think of them as weeds, or how we’d go on hikes and be encouraged to just notice little things in nature. All of that came back to me last year when I was with a camper and we were kind of falling behind because we were looking at some cool patterns on some tree bark, and little things you might not stop to notice. To just be in nature and enjoy nature and grow this respect for nature, that’s something I think I’ve really grown to appreciate with this camp all through my time as a camper and then an instructor and today in my new role.”
Cataraqui Conservation’s Nature Explorers Camp started the 2026 season on June 30 and runs until August 21, at the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area. For more information about summer camp please visit https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/summer-camp.