The Forest School Foundation's Mission:
A world where nature connection and education is available and accessible to all young people, inspiring them to become compassionate citizens and stewards of the earth.

Why Forest School?

Forest schools are suitable for ALL learners, of any age, exceptionality, background and demographic. The program is adaptable and suitable for every student's personal ability, skill and their unique pace of learning. Preschool age learner's will benefit from creative, sensory, spatial and motor development while older children of primary school age will strengthen foundation’s for continued personal, social and educational development. The combination of freedom and responsibility has been shown to be particularly beneficial to children who suffer from low self -esteem, low motivation or whose behavior is challenging in a normal classroom setting.

The Forest School Foundation runs Growing Wild Forest School, a not-for-profit educational initiative which aims to bring all of Asheville's children (and in turn, their families!) back to nature. Our school has no walls, and our ceiling is the wide sky...

We already know the benefit to children's cognitive development of interest-led, play-driven outdoor education. We're now taking it a step further - we envision the forest school initiative as one which can bring our community back in touch with our natural spaces post-Hurricane Helene. Growing Wild is situated along one of the major waterways which was dramatically affected by the storm - we believe in participating in our program, children and parents alike can heal from the shock that was that event, and nurture their sense of wonder and connection with the land and the river. Additionally, we have long valued our ability to offer "forestships" - scholarships granted to families of underserved communities. We now, more than ever, recognize the many folks across our community that could benefit from this kind of advocacy.

How many of your favorite childhood memories take place outside? We're betting a lot of them, because the natural world is the best place for young children to grow and learn. More and more science shows that young children need plenty of time spent in free play and gently guided nature connection in natural settings for optimal health, and that time spent indoors on screens is directly harmful to children's health. Our nature connection schools seek to provide space for that optimal development, and we need your support to help advocate for our most marginalized communities. Just $49 a day covers a child's entire tuition. Choose a one time donation or make a monthly commitment. When you pledge to cover a child's access to forest school, you invest in their future. OUR future.

Growing Wild Forestship Fund

By Forest School Foundation

Growing Wild Forestship Fund

Team Members