urbaNature Education at a glance
urbaNature Education (UNE) was started in 2018 by two people who serendipitously came together with similar goals and complementary experience and skill sets. Our aim is to connect people of all ages to Nature in the city, through education and experience.
Outdoor education, sustainability and well-being are our raisons d'être!
Experience urbaNature Education
Our Mission:
We teach environmental education in urban and suburban settings. We facilitate the human connection with Nature, wherever it is found, ensuring our programs are available to all, especially vulnerable populations.
Our Vision:
For nature-based learning to be a normal part of education throughout life; for everybody to experience and recognize the benefits of connecting with Nature on a daily basis for their minds, bodies and souls.
Objective:
To promote environmental education by providing the general public with
outdoor learning activities led by qualified instructors, including classes, workshops and guided nature tours.
To this end, to receive donations, bequests and other similar contributions of money, securities or real estate; to administer such gifts, bequests and contributions; to organize fundraising campaigns for the purpose of raising funds.
All activities shall be carried on subject to the Private Education Act (RLRQ, c.E-91) and its regulations.
Professional Development
Courses/ Certifications/ Training
We can provide courses, training and certifications for your team or group. We cater to groups looking to increase their leadership skills, outdoor skills, wellness, outdoor teaching and learning, child-led and nature-based play, and more.
Founders
Lisa Mintz
Executive Director
Lisa Mintz is an environmentalist, fundraiser and community
organizer. In the past 8 years she has been part of many important
undertakings to save greenspaces in Montreal. She is a founding
member of Sauvons l’Anse a l’Orme which has succeeded in creating the largest municipal park in Canada, the Grand Parc de l’Ouest, in the West Island. Lisa also spent several years working to save the Technoparc St. Laurent wetlands, a project which is now bearing fruit.
Most notably, Lisa, with her silent partner John Symon created Sauvons la falaise! This group has worked very hard to create the 7th grand parc on the Island of Montreal, grand parc de l'éco territoire de la falaise St. Jacques, currently under construction in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG) and the Southwest of Montreal.
Lisa received the Nature Inspiration Award in 2021 for her work on this important project. She was also presented with the medal of The National Assembly by MNA Kathleen Weil.
Lisa has brought the partnerships she started while saving the falaise to UrbaNature. She has led many educational walks, citizen science activities, cleanups and more, in green spaces. Delighting in introducing people of all ages to the joys of nature, Lisa is currently teaching environmental education programs in the falaise St. Jacques and other urban green spaces.
She believes in experiential learning and feels that nature is the best classroom a person can have! As a passionate volunteer and implicated community member, she is a past board member of NDG Community Council, presently on the board of Green Coalition, and a regular member of several other groups.
Holly McIntyre
Former - Director of Curriculum & Programming
An educator with nearly 20 years of experience in outdoor and experiential education, Holly is a certified elementary teacher in and has taught at all levels of education from preschool to CEGEP. She is passionate about creating opportunities for place-based and contextual learning that allows students to connect to their environment and community.
Holly is also an outdoor instructor and a trainer with the Outdoor Council of Canada and Paddle Canada. Her experience teaching outdoor and adventure education, combined with her experience as an educator, allow her a unique perspective into the needs of teachers and schools wishing to incorporate more outdoor learning into their programs. Holly teaches in the Écoéducation par la Nature program through the Cegep du Rivière du Loup.
Holly is excited about helping people discover and appreciate the Nature that we find all around us, right here in the city! Her Master's research explored how the use of outdoor learning can contribute to the well-being of teachers.
Our Partners
Additional partners:
