Erin Dews

Reaching Nature Connection Conference Faculty

Erin (she/her) grew up freely exploring the pastures, creeks, and high deserts of California’s Eastern Sierra mountains. Her passion to work with children and families in nature led her on a journey into teaching. While studying early childhood education and child development, Erin worked as a Public Project Coordinator at the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. In 2000, Erin traveled to Italy to study in the Reggio Emilia Municipal Schools. Upon her return to Santa Barbara, CA, Erin taught preschool and mentored student teachers at the Santa Barbara City College Children’s Center, now the Orfalea Early Learning Center. She volunteered for Environment Camp and the Wilderness Youth Project in its earliest years, taking children on the land in search of joy, laughter, adventure, and a genuine connection to the natural world. In 2010, Erin acted as the assistant director and farming teacher for Orca School and was the first teacher of Wild Roots Forest School’s inaugural kindergarten class in 2011. After 19 years in Santa Barbara, Erin has returned to her homeland in the Sierra Mountains, where she directs and teaches Wild Roots Outreach Programs based on her 20 years of experience in early childhood education.

Erin is a co-founder of the annual Reaching Nature Connection Conference and a co-founder of The Academy of Forest Kindergarten Teachers. She is an artist and designer that seeks to fuel the creative spirit in herself and others everyday. She is mentored by her two children and still runs barefoot exploring in nature.