A collaborative project of WHRL and Maine Outdoor School
OWL: Outdoor Women Lead teaches OUTDOOR and NATURALIST skills through a series of videos, blog posts, and interactive activities.
Our goal is to strengthen women and girls’ confidence in the outdoors — and in life!
Hazel Stark
Co-Founder of Maine Outdoor School
Registered Maine Guide
O.W.L Instructor
Are you an Outdoor Enthusiast?
Follow us here for regular blog updates, activities you can do by yourself
or with your family, and informative videos to watch at home.
Start a Phenology Journal
Create your own phenology journal to help you get to know the world around you and track its changes throughout the season.
Entomology Exploration
The ratio of insects to humans on Earth is estimated to be 200 million to one! Learn how different insects are grouped, and practice catching and identifying beetles, butterflies, and other bugs.
Camping 101
Plant Identification
Canoeing
Coming the week of September 28th, 2020! Have an old canoe around but never really learned how to use it effectively or confidently? Learn how to distribute weight in a canoe, how to hold a paddle, canoe safely, and some basic paddle strokes that will have you exploring quiet lakes and ponds in no time.
The OWL's Nest
A blog that answers your female-specific outdoor questions
Outdoor Safety
Outdoor Safety by Hazel Stark If we don’t feel like the outdoors is a safe place, we’re not going to spend much time there. This is a simple concept, but one that is worth unpacking as being able to spend time in nature is a necessity. So let’s consider some of the...
Meeting your Needs Where There are No Toilets
Meeting your Needs Where There are No Toilets! written by Hazel Stark I’ve had several living situations where I did not have running water. Those scenarios, combined with my love for multi-day backcountry adventure, has given me lots of experience with meeting my...
Making “Scents” in the Outdoors: Hygiene Tips
Making Scents in the Outdoors: Hygiene Tips By Hazel Stark When we spend extended time outdoors, we get stinky, especially if we’re doing high intensity activities like backpacking. Getting clean outdoors not only keeps us more comfortable and helps us sleep better,...
Welcome to The OWL Nest: Spending Time Outdoors as a Female
Welcome to the Outdoor Women Lead blog: The OWL Nest! This blog will complement the videos that teach outdoor and naturalist skills as part of the OWL series. OWL is a collaborative project between Women for Healthy Rural Living (WHRL) and Maine Outdoor School, L3C...
What would you like to read about?
Zabet NeuCollins
Assistant Director of WHRL
Project Lead for OWL