Legacy Environmental Education Workshop at Monte Sano State Park

Invited by Renee Raney, Alabama State Parks Director of Interpretation and Education, I assisted in conducting a daylong (June 13, 2025) Legacy Environmental Education workshop for 25 educators at Monte Sano State Park. As a founding Alabama State Parks Foundation Board member, I tirelessly support park Nature education endeavors. I snapped photos, recorded brief videos, and chronicled observations and reflections during the workshop, all of which I highlight via this photo essay.

Monte Sano SP

 

Rather than hold forth in text on my absolute conviction that Nature-based education is essential to our children and the society they will lead (and endure), I give you four summary observations:

  • Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. (Albert Einstein)
  • Nature doesn’t steal time, it amplifies it. (Richard Louv)
  • I embrace Nature’s relentless magic, wonder, awe, and inspiration — her infinite storm of BEAUTY! (Steve Jones)
  • Every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading is written indelibly in or powerfully inspired by Nature. (Steve Jones)

I’m sure these basic tenets guide, motivate, and inspire the instructors and participants in the Legacy workshop.

Nature served up a perfect start to the day — an ideal outdoor learning environment! Bright sunshine punctuated with puffy cumulus.

Monte Sano Monte Sano

 

Until I retired to my end-of-worklife Nature pursuits, I had no idea that the 20th century’s premier mind, Albert Einstein, advocated keener awareness of the magic and wonder of Nature:

Look deep into Nature and you will understand everything better.

He would have approved Legacy and the State Parks partnering to enable and encourage 25 dedicated teachers and educators to look more deeply into Natue!

Briitney Hughes, DeSoto State Park Naturalist, revealed the secrets of wild tea infusions, a practical guide to tapping the vital natural essence from native plants, and sharing lessons and techniques with their students.

Monte Sano

 

My knowledge of infusions and tinctures could fill a thimble…a small one at that! I quietly observed, saving myself for the South Plateau Trail walk.

I recorded this 57-second video as we departed the lodge and entered the forest:

 

I won’t attempt reciting every feature and phenomenon we encountered. We emphasized that most Alabama forests are at least second growth. Monte Sano’s forests are 70-90+ years old. Black locust, an early successional species, is dead or dying across the segment we hiked. Nearly all remaining live locust trees are infected by cracked cap polypore fungus, a decay that weakened this individual — note the black bracket mushroom 18 inches above the ground at right. Black locust was a major stand component over the first 50 years of second growth. This specimen is a fading reminder of black locust’s early colonizing and pioneering role in forest renewal.

Monte Sano

 

I’m shamelessly addicted to woodland springs and wooden footbridge crossings. I offer several explanations:

  • Upland brooks and streams have a pleasant, heavily shaded summer microclimate
  • Soils are more moist, deeper, and nutrient rich
  • Trees are taller and fatter
  • Who is not charmed by the sound of gurgling water!
  • Birds and other wildlife are more abundant

 

The brook dropped over the plateau rim below the trail bridge. Who knows what exploration into the hollow would reveal. Perhaps another day.

Monte Sano

 

My 60-second video hints at what may lie hidden in plain sight.

 

I admit to one unavoidable shortcoming when I am accompanying a group like this. I want to interact with the participants, fielding questions and offering my limited knowledge and interpretation, yet I feel compelled to capture our experiences and discoveries with photographs and brief videos so that I can share more widely via these photo essays. As a result, I pop in and out of the entourage, too often falling behind.

 

A powerful storm crossed Monte Sano State Park a week prior. One of our educators noticed three oak trees recently lightning-blasted. I sidetracked for a closer look to record a 60-second video of the affected oaks.

 

I am in awe of the power and fury of Nature. She demands full respect, even as she deserves absolute admiration. I have seen other lightning-struck trees in my north Alabama woodland excursions. Some survived the blast and retained the scars decades hence. Others suffered a fatal blow. Were I to wager the fate of these three oaks, I lean toward fatality.

Monte Sano

 

The trees are not large and the bolt shattered a third of their circumference. I will see how they fare on a future visit.

We paused at the old Lilly Pond, a landscape feature near a former residence 100 years ago.

I recorded a 59-second video as the educators paused at the amphitheater bench seating.

 

Imagine this deep woodland setting as open space near the old home site…the old pond, now filling with forest detritus and advancing shrubs, then a spring-fed lilly pond surround by grassy uplands. Nothing in Nature is static.

Monte Sano

 

 

 

Oak Mountain State Park Naturalist Lauren Muncher Massey conducted a session on Tree Cookie Wood Burning. I recorded this 50-second video of participants sanding Eastern red cedar tree cookies.

 

I remember my forestry junior-year Wood Identification course at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. We each received a box of 60+ blocks of species we were tasked with learning: their characteristics, uses, structure, hardness, and identification. With pocket knife, hand lens, keen nose, and careful study we grew adept at identifying our woods. That was 1971, a distant 54 years ago. Somehow along life’s journey across 13 interstate moves, understandably distracted by family, career, and life, we abandoned those 60+ wood identification blocks. I’d love to have them now. Perhaps I could relearn some of what has seeped through the weak grasp of aging memory. I vow never to forget Eastern red cedar with its distinctive color, texture, and fragrance.

Monte Sano

 

That long-ago course was not easy. Some of my fellow forestry majors stumbled; others fell. The Lord blessed me with keen interest, an eye for detail, and a zest for learning. Watching the participants bring life to their tree cookies ignited dormant memories from my lifelong fascination with forest products. I won’t explore that rabbit hole today. I may someday devote a future photo essay to that pursuit.

 

Here is my 56-second video of final tree cookie preparation, fading into a revelation of the wonderful location for a workshop on Arts and Wellness in Nature.

 

Renee Raney joined us late in the afternoon with her Teacher Creature!

Monte Sano

 

As we moved indoors for our closing Amber Coger (Northwest District Naturalist) led session on Nature Journaling, the fair weather cumulus assumed a more menacing look.

Monte Sano

 

An unabashed lifetime weather enthusiast, I recorded this 60-second video of the vigorous thundershower that pounded our lodge rooftop.

 

Nature could have changed our day had she delivered the downpour two hours earlier.

Monte Sano

 

I embrace Nature’s relentless magic, wonder, awe, and inspiration — her infinite storm of BEAUTY!

 

In broad summary, I declare the Legacy Arts and Wellness Workshop a day well spent!

Alabama State Parks Foundation

Thoughts and Reflections

 

I offer these observations:

  • Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. (Albert Einstein)
  • Nature doesn’t steal time, it amplifies it. (Richard Louv)
  • I embrace Nature’s relentless magic, wonder, awe, and inspiration — her infinite storm of BEAUTY! (Steve Jones)
  • Every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading is written indelibly in or powerfully inspired by Nature. (Steve Jones)

Inhale and absorb Nature’s elixir. May Nature Inspire, Inform, and Reward you!

 

Note: All blog post images created & photographed by Stephen B. Jones unless otherwise noted. Please circulate images with photo credit: “©2025 Steve Jones, Great Blue Heron LLC. All Rights Reserved.”

I am available for Nature-Inspired Speaking, Writing, and Consulting — contact me at steve.jones.0524@gmail.com

 

Reminder of my Personal and Professional Purpose, Passion, and Cause

If only more of us viewed our precious environment through the filters I employ. If only my mission and vision could be multiplied untold orders of magnitude:

Mission: Employ writing and speaking to educate, inspire, and enable readers and listeners to understand, appreciate, and enjoy Nature… and accept and practice Earth Stewardship.

Vision:

  • People of all ages will pay greater attention to and engage more regularly with Nature… and will accept and practice informed and responsible Earth Stewardship.
  • They will see their relationship to our natural world with new eyes… and will understand more clearly their Earth home.

Tagline/Motto: Steve (Great Blue Heron) encourages and seeks a better tomorrow through Nature-Inspired Living!

 

Steve’s Four Books

 

I wrote my books Nature Based Leadership (2016), Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading (2017), Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits: Stories of Passion for Place and Everyday Nature (2019; co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Wilhoit), and Dutton Land & Cattle: A Land Legacy Story (2023) to encourage all citizens to recognize and appreciate that every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading is either written indelibly in or is powerfully inspired by Nature. All four of my books present compilations of personal experiences expressing my deep passion for Nature. All four books offer observations and reflections on my relationship with the natural world… and the broader implications for society. Order any from your local indie bookstore, or find them on IndieBound or other online sources such as Amazon and LifeRich.

I began writing books and Posts for several reasons:

  • I love hiking and exploring Nature
  • I see images I want to (and do) capture with my trusty iPhone camera
  • I enjoy explaining those images — an educator at heart
  • I don’t play golf!
  • I do love writing — it’s the hobby I never needed when my career consumed me
  • Judy suggested my writing is in large measure my legacy to our two kids, our five grandkids, and all the unborn generations beyond
  • And finally, perhaps my books and Blogs could reach beyond family and touch a few other lives… sow some seeds for the future

 

Monte Sano