Primary

Fall (Sept-Nov)

Winter (Dec- Feb)

Spring (March-April)

Summer (May-June)

Animal Antics/Plants & Soils

WINTER FUN DAY

(Includes: snowshoe /games/animal tracking)

It’s a Bug’s Life/Bird Investigators

It’s a Bug’s Life/A Plant & Me

A Plant & Me/Animal Antics

Junior

Fall (Sept-Nov)

Winter (Dec- Feb)

Spring (March-April)

Summer (May-June)

Navigation 101/Biodiversity & Invasive Species Hike

MAPLE SYRUP

Animal Tracking/Team building  

Geocaching/Guided Hike

Wilderness Survival (optional fire making & quinzhee building)/Snowshoe or Hike

Wetland Wonders/Team building

CLIMATE CHANGE IN-ACTION: Grade 6

Intermediate

Fall (Sept-Nov)

Winter (Dec- Feb)

Spring (March-April)

Summer (May-June)

Team Building/Navigation 101

Team Building/Navigation 101

CLIMATE CHANGE IN-ACTION

Geocaching/Guided Hike

Wilderness Survival (fires optional, quinzhee building if snow)/snowshoe or guided hike

Biodiversity & Invasive Species Hike/Team Building

Biodiversity & Invasive Species Hike/Team Building

Indigenous Living Program/Snowshoe or guided hike

Team Building/Navigation 101

Geocaching/Guided Hike

Secondary

Fall (Sept-Nov)

Winter (Dec- Feb)

Spring (March-April)

Summer (May-June)

Leadership/Guided Hike

Wilderness Survival/Navigation 101

Leadership/Navigation 101

Snake River Studies/Navigation 101

FORESTRY MANAGMENT

Team Building/Wilderness Survival

FORESTRY MANAGEMENT

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9
Availability: Sept-Oct, April-June

Equity and Inclusivity

Students (and adult supervisors) of ALL abilities are welcome at Shaw Woods! Please contact our staff as soon as possible if you have someone in your group who requires accommodations to make their day successful. We have an all-terrain wheelchair available on site for use as needed. We are happy to discuss ways we can modify our programming to suit the needs of your group.
 

Health and Safety

In order for us to best meet the needs of program participants, it is essential that we are aware of any physical, behavioural or health concerns in advance. Epi pens, asthma inhalers or other life-saving medications need to be carried by the person who needs them at all times while on site. SWOEC follows Renfrew County Health Unit and School Board COVID-19 protocols.
 

Clothing

We want your experience at the Shaw Woods Outdoor Education Centre to be positive, educational and fun! The following is a list of suggestions to help you prepare for a day at our facility. Having these items packed will allow more flexibility with changing conditions. Programs are run outdoors in all types of weather. Proper clothing will promote a more comfortable and enjoyable day.
 

What to wear for your day at Shaw Woods:

• Dress seasonally and pack in anticipation of changing weather conditions.
• Pants and long-sleeved shirts are recommended at all times of the year to help prevent scrapes and insect bites.
• Closed-toe shoes or hiking boots are ideal footwear! Flip flops and sandals are NOT advised due to uneven terrain on trails and presence of poison ivy on site.
• For wet/rainy days: waterproof coat, rubber boots, and splash pants if possible.
• For winter months: dress in layers, including winter boots, snow pants, winter coat, hat, mitts and scarf. Pack extra socks and mitts/gloves if possible as these items often get wet.
• Additional items to consider include a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, a bug jacket or insect repellant as needed.

Messages to reinforce with students/parents: Shaw Woods can become EXTREMELY muddy in the early spring. We strongly recommend waterproof boots at these times. Boots are always required in the winter months. In May and June we have a LOT of biting insects. Ticks are a concern from April through to October. All trip participants need to dress appropriately for the conditions the day of their trip. If a student arrives dressed in a way that will compromise their safety, they will not be permitted to participate in the program. For example, we cannot send students on a winter program in deep snow with running shoes on.
 

Supervision Ratio

The maximum number is 60 students per day. Shaw Woods follows the OPHEA guidelines for risk management and supervision ratios for outdoor education activities. Shaw Woods staff are not to be included in the supervision ratio. Adult volunteers need to understand their role as additional supervisors and that they may not always be with their own child, depending on the needs of the program. Adult supervisors may not bring other children who are not part of the class participating in the program as their responsibility is to assist in supervising the students.
SWOEC will have two teachers to run elementary programming with a maximum of two programs running simultaneously. This is dependant upon the school providing at least two school staff to be with each program.
SWOEC staff will contact the school staff contact person three days prior to the excursion to confirm details.

Nutrition

We ask all visitors to bring a healthy morning snack and lunch. Any waste generated is “boomeranged” home. There is no potable water on site, so bring plenty of drinks from home.
 

Additional Information

• We are an outdoor facility, and all participants need to be prepared to spend the duration of their visit outside, at all times of the year!
• We do have a small heated Shanty which we use for programming during inclement weather. The Shanty is also available as a warming station for students during winter programs.
• We have a Pine Pavilion where the students can enjoy lunch at our 9 m long picnic table.
• Our washrooms are outhouses, located between the Pine Pavilion and parking area. Hand sanitizer is available on site. With the exception of one outhouse near the Sugar Shack, there are no washrooms located along SWOEC trails.

To donate by cheque:
Make cheque payable to "Shaw Woods Outdoor Education Centre".

Mail to:

Pam Etmanskie
477 Micksburg Road
Cobden, ON
K0J 1K0

Include your return address for tax receipt.

Our volunteers have contributed thousands of hours developing this unique centre.
Your financial donation supports this important project.

Come join us for a fun filled, day-long celebration of maple syrup! Students will have the opportunity to tour our sugar bush and learn about the steps involved in making maple syrup. They will actively participate in collecting sap from the trees and enjoy a sweet taffy treat at the sugar shack. A variety of fun maple-themed games and activities will round out the day, as well as a rest by the campfire for some storytelling and fire bread. The long, rich history of maple sugar and maple syrup will be shared throughout the day.

Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Availability: March - early April, depending on conditions

NEW! This year we're using a lottery system to assign dates for our Maple Syrup program. Read more about the lottery, and submit your registration, on this form.

Click on any of the links on the right to learn more about our current program selection. You are welcome to connect with us at shawwoods.edu@gmail.com if you have questions or would like further details.

We are looking forward to a busy winter and spring at Shaw Woods, now that the county's student transport issues have been resolved!

For our partners in RCDSB, RCCDSB, and CEPEO schools, please use the booking forms found on this website to book your trip. You may want to read over the information on the "Planning Your Visit" page to help you prepare for the day.

For our non-Board clients, such as Girl Guides, Scouts, 4H, and other youth groups, please connect with our secretary MK at shawwoods.edu@gmail.com and she will send you our non-partner booking form for you and provide you with program cost details.

Thank you all for your continued support of the amazing outdoor education programs offered by Shaw Woods!

Our Mission: To foster an ethic of responsible environmental stewardship, by providing educational programming and self-directed learning to educational groups, community organizations and the public at large. In conjunction with the foregoing, to teach sustainable forestry practices which manage the social, economic and ecological values provided by forests.

Welcome to Shaw Woods! We hope you enjoy your visit. Please remember:

• Maps and Trail Guides can be downloaded from our website to help you learn more about our beautiful property.
• Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. Please pick up after your pet.
• Garbage and container recycling bins are located near the Shanty. Help us keep our forest tidy!
• The washrooms near the Shanty are availble for public use!

If you are planning an event at Shaw Woods you must contact our office administrator, MK Jones (shawwoods.edu@gmail.com) to confirm details and check availability.

Primary Junior Intermediate Secondary

Volunteers conduct minor (hand tool) work and identify any chainsaw requirements to be done by certified professionals.

For further information please contact the Chair of our Trails Committee, John Collins.

Email: johnalicollins@gmail.com

Mission Statement:
To foster an ethic of responsible environmental stewardship, by providing educational programming and self-directed learning to educational groups, community organizations and the public at large. In conjunction with the foregoing, to teach sustainable forestry practices which manage the social, economic and ecological values provided by forests.

We support the concept of maintaining undisturbed forest areas as living examples of old growth forest available for the study and appreciation of their unique cultural and scientific values.

• The Shaw Woods OEC is a registered charitable, not for profit organization managed by a board of directors.

• The Shaw Woods OEC was incorporated in 2010.

• The property has been in the Shaw family since 1847.

• For over a century, the site included a working farm with a water powered saw mill and grist mill.

• The site includes 50 hectares of old-growth forest and 160 hectares of wetlands and mixed forest.

• The 14 km network of trails is maintained by a team of volunteers.

• Trail Guides and Maps are available online for everyone to enjoy.

• The site is open year around, dawn to dusk.

• Some trails are occasionally closed for special events.

• There is no charge for parking or access to the site.

• Cell reception is available over much of the site.

• We offer Outdoor Education programs to visiting school groups from throughout Renfrew County.

Shaw Woods is proud to host a Motus tracking station - it's located at the edge of the Pine Pavilion! Visit the Motus website to learn more about this long-term study, and to find the current list of species that have been detected at the Shaw Woods station.

If you are interested in conducting research at the Shaw Woods contact Fred Blackstein, Co-Chair. fblackstein@live.com

Shaw Woods Outdoor Education programs are available to classes in the following school boards:

Renfrew County District School Board,  Renfrew County Catholic School Board,  CEPEO

Visit our registration page to book your class trip today!

We have some ability to offer facilitated weekend programming to organized youth groups such as Girl Guides, Scouts, 4H, etc.! Booking fees apply. Please connect with our office administrator, MK, for more information.

We welcome community groups and organizations to come use our beautiful site and facililties for special events.

All groups using our site need to book through MK to avoid site use conflicts. 

Our wonderful Office Administrator, MK, can be reached at shawwoods.edu@gmail.com. 

Grades: K, 1, 2, 3
Availability - all year

shawwoods.edu@gmail.com

   ShawWoodsOEC

shaw_woods_oec

Grades: 7, 8, Secondary
Availability: September, October, May, June