Find Your Passion

This Earth Month we celebrate our nature heroes, including board member Dr. Ingrid Flores, who lives, teaches, and volunteers with nature gratitude daily.

“My philosophy is that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. In the smallest way you can help to preserve our planet,” shares Dr. Ingrid Flores, Board Chair of our Education Committee.

Ingrid was called to serve on the board. “Just being able to help and come together with others who have the same kind of goals to maintain trails, habitat restoration, removal of invasive species … I feel like a very small part in this big huge project. Part of a collaborative,” says Ingrid. “It’s one of the best things I’ve done, and I’m happy doing it.” 

Above: Nature Collective Board Member Dr. Ingrid Flores

Ingrid is aligned with our nationally awarded science education experiences as Board Chair for Education. She is a professor in higher education and in her work with K–5 public school classroom teachers and diverse student populations, where she emphasizes exploratory and investigative science.

“I want kids to explore their immediate environment,” shares Ingrid. “Looking at things like eroded areas, areas that may have been damaged by human kind. I want kids to have the opportunity to explore their neighborhood, San Elijo Lagoon, and their school garden. Are there slopes, shady areas, sunny areas? Look at trees and leaves and what do you notice?” 

Above: Families in our Get Out In Nature (GOIN) practiced nature journaling.
See :26 video highlight

Last weekend some of our 5th grade students and their families enjoyed a Get Out In Nature (GOIN) experience.

 GOIN encourages and supports family learning and adventuring in nature-based environments in coastal San Diego County and beyond. This seasonal series, funded in part by California Coastal Conservancy’s Explore the Coast grant, offers Escondido Union School District families a cost-free immersive experience that opens windows to new and familiar outdoor spaces to connect with wildlife and the places they live. Families in our GOIN experience also enjoyed our April Spring Nature Festival with crafts and live animal meet and greets.

This Earth Month, Ingrid reflects on our environment and how we can help. “Volunteering is a way to pay back what you’ve been given,” says Ingrid. “Learning how to take care of the environment starts early, and it starts at home.”

So when Ingrid finds nature, it’s all around her. She works in the garden and walks or cycles in her neighborhood and visits trails and beaches. She loves to hear the rustling of the leaves of trees in the wind. Or observing the patterns of the waves in the ocean as they come ashore, mixed with the patterns of critters on the sands. She brings these observations to others.

Her work with Nature Collective deepens her commitment to inspire children to learn to love their world. Families and kids are exploring together, thanks to Ingrid’s passion and to all our staff, board, and you, for making this possible.

Ingrid Flores is one of our Nature Heroes and we thank her for all that she is doing for a more inclusive world where everyone can connect with, experience and protect nature.

Make a donation to Nature Collective today! Thank you.