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Davis Forest School

Davis Forest School fosters a love for nature through hands-on outdoor education, teaching essential skills like knot tying and survival techniques. Our mission is to empower individuals and families to connect with the outdoors and build confidence in their abilities.

Basketry is a time-honored craft rooted in place, patience, and practice. In this hands-on workshop led by Samantha Iacobello, participants will learn the basics of &ldquo;Stick and Strand&rdquo; style basketry and create a 10&rdquo; Berry Basket with a handle.&nbsp; Your finished basket will be perfect for garden harvests, trips to the farmers market, or gathering forest school treasures. Participants will have the opportunity to work with willow varieties sourced by Samantha from local watersheds, including &lsquo;Creek Willow,&rsquo; &lsquo;Sandbar Willow,&rsquo; and &lsquo;Purple Osier Willow&rsquo; along with cultivars and landrace varieties grown in her gardens.&nbsp; Samantha Iacobello has been wild foraging basketry plants for weaving projects for the last six years and has been teaching for four years at her off-grid home in Calaveras county. She is an archaeobotanist, ecologist, conservationist, and a professional landscaper and arborist, which have all contributed to her current passion of weaving baskets. All tools and materials will be provided. This workshop requires hand strength, the ability to do repetitive hand movements, and comfort sitting on the ground for extended periods of time. Participants are encouraged to bring a cushion or low lawn chair for seating, as well as a favorite utility or pocket knife if you have one. Please bring your own lunch, snacks, and drinking water - we will be enjoying a lunch break together halfway through the day.&nbsp; Cost is a sliding scale of $70-$100 per person. Please pay what you can. Ages 12+ welcome. Please note that due to the time it takes to prepare the willow in advance, we will not be offering reimbursement for any cancellations within 2 weeks of the class.&nbsp; If you have any questions about the workshop, please email <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:sierrabasketryguild@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">sierrabasketryguild@gmail.com</a>. For questions about registration, please email <a data-fr-linked="true" fr-original-style="" href="mailto:natascha@davisforestschool.org" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">natascha@davisforestschool.org</a>. davisforestschool.org

Willow Basketry: Weave a Gathering Basket with Samantha Iacobello

One of the most essential survival skills is knowing how to create shelter, and it&rsquo;s something humans have been practicing since the beginning of time. In this hands-on adult/family class led by Kevin Hawkins, we&rsquo;ll take a familiar childhood love (building forts!) and layer in real wilderness survival skills. Participants will learn how to build tarp shelters, brush shelters, and simple survival structures using natural materials and basic bushcraft techniques. We&rsquo;ll practice essential knots, learn how to read the land for shelter placement, and explore how to build structures that are both sturdy and respectful of the environment. All supplies will be provided. Families are welcome to bring small to medium tarps, 50&ndash;100 feet of paracord, and a knife or saw if they have them. Please bring your own snacks and water. Expect creativity, teamwork, and the satisfaction of learning how to build a home in the woods! Cost is $25 per person. 12 and under needs to come with an adult. 5 and younger free. Exact location in Davis to be shared upon registration. All ticket sales final. www.davisforestschool.org

Shelter & Survival: Building a Home in the Wild

Knots are one of those skills you don&rsquo;t realize you need, until you really need them! In this hands-on adult/family class led by Kevin Hawkins, participants will learn a set of practical, easy-to-remember knots that are useful for everyday life, camping trips, and outdoor adventures. We&rsquo;ll cover tensioning knots, grabbing knots, loop knots, and other essential knots that can be used for everything from securing loads and tarps to setting up shelters and solving real-life problems. This class is designed to be approachable for beginners and engaging for all ages. This is a great standalone class, and also an excellent foundation for the following week&rsquo;s Shelter &amp; Survival class. All materials will be provided. Cost is $15 per person. 12 and under needs an adult. 5 and younger free. Exact location in Davis to be shared upon registration. All ticket sales final. www.davisforestschool.org

Knots 101: Practical Knots for Home, Camp, and Beyond

Willow is a wonderful, abundant riparian resource well-suited to weaving, thanks to its strength and flexibility. In this workshop led by Natascha Paxton participants will learn a simple spiral weave technique to craft a small bird feeder out of &lsquo;Sandbar Willow.&rsquo;&nbsp; Participants will also learn how to make their own vegan, peanut-free bird seed balls to fill their feeders and support local birds. This is a gentle, beginner-friendly introduction to working with willow and an approachable first weaving project. If you are interested in working further with willow and advancing your weaving skills, check out our upcoming Willow Basketry workshop with Samantha Iacobello!&nbsp;<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.7999999999999998;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.8; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> All tools and materials will be provided. This workshop requires hand strength and comfort sitting on the ground for extended periods of time.&nbsp;<ul fr-original-style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-inline-start:48px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; box-sizing: inherit;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; box-sizing: inherit;">Participants are encouraged to bring a cushion or low lawn chair for seating. You are welcome to bring your favorite utility or pocket knife and a set of pruning shears if you have either.&nbsp;</li></ul> Cost is $25 per person. Final Sale. Ages 12+ welcome.&nbsp;<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.7999999999999998;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.8; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> For any questions regarding the workshop or registration, please email <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:natascha@davisforestschool.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">natascha@davisforestschool.org</a> <a fr-original-style="" href="//davisforestschool.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">davisforestschool.org</a>

Weave a Willow Bird Feeder

Come join Davis Forest School for a Forest Bathing walk led by Connor Rosenblatt! We have two opportunities to join, held in Davis (exact location shared upon registration):Sunday, February 22nd from 1:00-3:30pm Saturday, March 14th from 1:00-3:30pm Registration is per person, and event is open to ages 13+. Forest Bathing is a nature-based wellness practice inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku. Despite the name, Forest Bathing does not involve water or actual bathing. It is the practice of &ldquo;bathing&rdquo; in the atmosphere of the forest &mdash; immersing yourself in the sights, sounds, textures, and rhythms of the natural world. In contrast to a hike, Forest Bathing is a gentle, mindful practice that emphasizes slowing down, awakening our senses, and connecting with nature (and ourselves) on a deeper level. During a Forest Bathing walk, you will be invited to use your senses to intimately explore the natural world in the presence of a supportive community of practitioners. Scientific studies have documented numerous benefits of Forest Bathing, such as a decrease in anxiety, a decrease in stress, a decrease in blood pressure, and an overall improvement in immune system functioning. Regardless of prior experience, these walks are perfect for anyone interested in spending slow and intentional time in nature with a group. A lifelong birder, naturalist, and outdoor enthusiast, Connor pursued Forest Bathing as a way to deepen his own connection with nature and engage with nature in a slower and more intimate manner. Eager to learn how to share this practice with others, Connor pursued a year-long certification program to become a forest bathing guide. Connor was certified in 2024 by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. Connor is very excited for the opportunity to share forest bathing with the Davis Forest School community! www.davisforestschool.org

Davis Forest School

Past events

Past events

Willow Basketry: Weave a Gathering Basket with Samantha Iacobello

Shelter & Survival: Building a Home in the Wild

Knots 101: Practical Knots for Home, Camp, and Beyond

Weave a Willow Bird Feeder

Forest Bathing with Davis Forest School

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