David Touchon, The Cibolo Land Manager – published in The Boerne Star 5/17/2025
Education occurs in many ways throughout our life. Some educational opportunities are very formal, and others are drastically different from anything yet experienced.
The term Outdoor Education was coined in the 1940’s by Outward Bound to describe the adventure programs that it offered to young adults in Great Brittain and later internationally.
In 1965 The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) based out of Lander Wyoming started offering young adult adventure programs in the western mountain regions and expanding throughout the United States and beyond.
It is important to note that the nucleus of these programs lay firmly in the realm of Mountaineering and expedition-based learning (Alpine ascent, Rock climbing, Navigation and Sailing). Long term experience, leading to technical proficiency.
In 1971 Project Adventure was founded to present non-traditional team building methods in the form of Low and High ropes courses. An interesting by product of a Project Adventure experience was the development of the participants “Hard and Soft” skills. Project Adventure is still a leader in the team building industry and has served as a model for thousands of businesses and Outdoor programs.
Fast forward to 1979 and the introduction of Steve Van Matre’s book Sunship Earth. Van Matre’s writings speak to gaining better understanding of time and life systems on planet Earth through in-depth human experiential processes. The coupling of environmental education with experiential education in a cosmic way.
While working at the HISD Outdoor Education Magnet program in 1995. I had the opportunity to join Steve Van Matre on a two-hour immersion “hike”, which involved quietly swimming/wading through a swamp on the north end of Lake Livingston.
During the immersion “hike” we observed everything from the water level perspective; Damsel Flys, Whirligig Beetles, Schools of Thread fin Shad, Snakes, Alligators, Towering Loblolly Pine Trees and the occasional something swimming through our legs.
After the immersion “hike” we debriefed our experience into learning segments which set the memory in stone.
Modern day Outdoor Education has evolved into many variants and custom blends. The most common variant is Outdoor/Environmental Education. Outdoor/Environmental Education is a mix of field science and adventure/experiential components.
Many Outdoor Environmental Education programs are closely tied to K-12 education and reinforce classroom learning and to create memorable learning experiences. We all remember THAT teacher who made the difference! Thank you, Dr. Jack McCullough!
With all that being said, Outdoor Education aficionados and associated organizations have incredible debates over the definitions. Is Outdoor Education Environmental Education? Is Environmental Education Experiential Education? Is Conservation Education Experiential Education?
The lines become blurred but when dust settles everything boils down to a memorable learning experience in the Outdoors. I should mention that the core tenets of instruction should read like this: Experiential, Educational, Unconventional, Unique, Safe and Memorable.
Many Outdoor programs are limited to the summer season due to northern climates however the Texas Hill Country allows for year-round Outdoor Education offerings. Wet, Cold, Hot or Dry, it is all about the experience and what we learn while outside! If you are looking for a high grade experiential education process, I will see you in the woods!
See you in the woods!
