Coastal Plains Outdoor School

[Matthew Herron]

Hello all,

I'm writing to share information about a project that I've been working on over the last year. It is called the Coastal Plains Outdoor School (CPOS). The CPOS mission is to offer immersive, hands-on outdoor experiences that help people develop a deeper relationship with the land, with themselves and with each other. By exploring the interdependence of our natural and cultural heritage, we cultivate knowledge, awareness and skills to help people build more healthy and sustainable communities.  

While there are no physical facilities yet (we use public lands and rent facilities where needed), oneday I hope to establish a conservation area with trails and facilities specifically for the purposes of running programs and classes for adults, families and youth and demostrating best practices in ecological land management. Since much of my background is in native plants, there will be many plant focused classes. Programs currently scheuled for this winter-spring are the following:

New Years All Day Hike  - Jan 24, 2021 @ Bogue Chitto State Park - 5.7 mile naturalist ramble with sprinklings of winter plants, birds, geology and more.

Winter Botany of Southern Hardwood Forests - Jan 31, 2021  @ St. Francisville, LA - crash course in woody plant id with some winter weeds

Old Growth Hardwood Forests of the South March 13, 2021  @ Sicily Island, LA

The classes are limited in size and all outdoors to accomodate for Covid precautions. I'm talking with John Manion about possibly offering a plant propogation class this spring as well. Would you be interested? 

See the attached flyers for more information on the programs. To register, please visit coastalplainsoutdoorschool.org, comment in the group or feel free to write me at coastalplains...@gmail.com. I'd be curious to hear what your thoughts are on the outdoor school concept or on classes you would like to see offered.

Thank you!

Matthew Herron