Our business aims to be a world leader in nature connection.
Whether it’s nature play aimed at educating our children or nature therapy aimed at creating healthy and happy adults, we create and facilitate unique, high-quality nature experiences for individuals, teams, families and educational groups, with attention and care to the whole human experience - the physical, the mental and the spiritual.
We invest in our programs.
We constantly explore new ways to facilitate the highest level of positive outcomes in all our programs, and leave no detail forgotten.
We invest in our employees.
We believe that maintaining a work environment that is conducive to our team’s physical, mental and spiritual health is paramount. We provide challenges and rewards that encourage them to make meaningful contributions to the company, the industry and community.
We invest in our nature.
We’re committed to operating in harmony and collaboration with nature with the highest level of ethical standards that do no harm and leave no trace to natural ecosystems. A social enterprise, we donate a percentage of all profits back into the conservation and protection of natural ecosystems via Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.
Meet our team.
Kara Spence - Founding Director & Lead Educator
Kara’s career has been defined by one objective: Be outside. Over the past 30 years Kara has combined her passion for the environment, education and the community in designing and coordinating award-winning nature projects. A former Park Ranger, a certified Forest School Level 3 Leader, Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and Teacher, she loves bringing the curriculum (and humans!) alive through tailored and unique outdoor learning. Her strengths are bringing strategic thinking and adaptive leaderships skills to the team and is an expert at curriculum design and facilitating collaborative planning linked to assessment having developed inquiry based K-6 science and HASS units for the past 20 years. Nature connection is in Kara’s bloodline. Born in Canada, until the warmer climate called her south to Tasmanian shores, she’s the daughter of an audacious nature crusader and mad-about-rocks geologist. They taught her about our dual demands on nature: sustain our souls and support our economy. The trick is achieving both, in harmony and balance. Kara believes we can have it all: the hectic, electric city life and connection to the nature beyond it. And it’s her life’s work to help adults and children alike achieve that balance.
Roxanne Wood - Nature Playworker
A lover of Tasmanian wilderness, Roxanne loves working with nature to provide an abundance of opportunities for children to develop socially and emotionally as well as physically. As the mum of a 1-year-old wild child, she’s constantly thinking of new ideas to help children connect, grow and belong and takes great pride in hosting our Playgroup community.
If you book into our school holiday program you’re likely to see Roxanne head up each day with enthusiasm as she loves nothing more than being outside, especially with the kids.
Roxanne has a teaching background with over 10 years experience, She brings a wealth of knowledge to the Nature. Be In It team with her innovative spirit and commitment to teaching excellence.
Shanelle Bowerman - Nature Playworker
Learning and exploring is something Shanelle is passionate about, and she believes there’s no better place for children to explore than the great outdoors.
With over five years experience working with children in education settings , Shanelle is an integral part of the Nature. Be In It. school holiday program, and to put it simply, the kids just adore her. Softly spoken, kind and so extremely patient, she sees every child as capable and gently guides them to learning and growing in a way that sees their confidence skyrocket.
And did we mention she has a gorgeous smile?
Ina Güdelhöfer - Nature Playworker
With a wealth of global experience, Ina is an experienced teacher who has trained in education systems throughout Germany, Sweden and Australia and has chosen to specialise in working with young people to connect them with nature. She believes as humans, we need to take good care of nature and instilling a love of it in our children will help achieve that goal.
Brimming with fun and excitement, Ina’s enthusiasm is infectious. As a host of our school holiday program and educational programs, she works tirelessly to achieve our shared goal of making the benefits of nature play accessible to all Tasmanian children. Determined, organised and a hard worker.
Ben & Francis - The Support Team
Nature. Be in it. is a family affair and wouldn’t be the same without Kara’s local Mountain Man, Ben. Ben is lucky enough to call kunanyi/Mt Wellington/ his office. He knows all the nooks and crannies in many of Hobart’s outdoor spaces and has helped hand-build a fair few of the tracks over the years.
His beautiful daughter Francis supplies the Nature. Be In It. team with creative inspiration and a reminder to just BE whenever we can. Together they keep the home fires burning with yummy meals, wood chopping (for our damper fires, we don’t have a fireplace at home!) and turning a blind eye to all the household items that end up as creative equipment for our outdoor learning programs!
See our programs in action…
