WildLink, Past and Future
NatureBridge’s Partnerships and Wilderness Programs Manager, Andrés Escalante, was recently featured in the Yosemite Conservancy’s newsletter where he was able to share the inspiring stories from WildLink, a collaboration between the Yosemite Conservancy and NatureBridge that focuses on bring local students into the Yosemite wilderness. "Wild places provide a place for students and teachers to reflect, to disconnect from everyday life, to be challenged, to feel connected to nature, and to be safe, inspired, and renewed. In Yosemite, we are able to consider our place in the wilderness—while growing as leaders, stewards, and friends."
About WildLink #
WildLink welcomes high school students from communities that historically have experienced systemic barriers to accessing the outdoors. It invites them to explore Yosemite Wilderness and career opportunities offered there through immersive wilderness expeditions, community stewardship projects, family weekends, and alumni summer internships in the park. Thanks to Conservancy donors, more than 2,000 students have participated in more than 200 WildLink expeditions during the past 24 years, spending more than 800 nights in wilderness.
Stories
Staff Spotlight: Eva Foster
Eva Foster has held several roles at NatureBridge over the past 18 years, including Natural Connections Manager, Sales Manager, and Outreach and Enrollment Manager. Now, on the eve of her retirement, we asked her to reflect on her time at NatureBridge and share a bit about her upcoming adventures.
WildLink June 2024: Monache High School
On a warm afternoon in June, a group of students and chaperones from Monache High School arrived at Yosemite National Park for their first ever WildLink expedition. As they drove through the Wawona Tunnel and saw the historic Tunnel View, students remarked on the vastness of nature, as none of them had ever seen Yosemite Valley before. The group drove into the valley to meet one of their NatureBridge leaders and went for a short walk to Lower Yosemite Falls. As they enjoyed the cooling spray of the rushing falls, excitement built for their time in Yosemite.
WildLink May 2024: New Village Girls Academy
The day after a spring thunderstorm, New Village Girls Academy students and chaperones arrived to a beautifully saturated Yosemite Valley. Their trip from Los Angeles on highways and winding mountain roads left them tired, excited, and a little nervous for the week to come. Students were greeted by NatureBridge staff upon arrival and moved into their cabins, where they enjoyed their first night in the park—complete with burgers and a meadow sunset. The group also spent some time that first night chatting about their hopes, intentions, and fears for the week ahead.