Earth Kinship Commitment is Nature For All

Nature for All!

A Local Company Invites Residents to Experience Nature

Featured in "Loving Our Town Magazine", By Miles Bullock

If you live in St. Augustine, you’re no stranger to its famous history and enchanting appeal. The quiet cobblestone streets, the fabled historical landmarks, and layers of pre- and post-colonial history, all tell a story reflective of the diverse inhabitants that shaped our unique home. But what if you could discover an entirely new side of the Ancient City? Meet neighbors of a different species, explore its winding waterways, and learn about the native flora that inspired the very name of our Sunshine State.

A new locally-owned company provides the opportunity to do just that. On the first day of spring 2022, Earth Kinship Ecotours & Naturalist School opened for business to provide residents, and visitors alike, the unique chance to experience the raw and natural beauty of St. Augustine and its surrounding areas. 

Founded by AyoLane Halusky, a native-Floridian and local naturalist, Earth Kinship offers a variety of experiences to bring you closer to nature. With over 25 different kayak tours, nature hikes, overnight camping trips, naturalist training courses, art programs, and history tours, Earth Kinship provides locals a gateway to experience the wild and untamed beauty of their home, while also teaching them about its history and sustainable future. 

Few know the local land, its ebbing tidal estuaries, hidden hollows, medicinal native plants, and diverse cast of wildlife quite like Halusky. As a local who grew up exploring the creeks, forests, and marshlands of the area, his upbringing kindled what would become a lifetime passion for nature and its many positive effects. After 25 years of teaching professionally in outdoor settings, and most recently, serving for 10 years as a Park Naturalist for St. Johns County’s Parks and Recreation Department, AyoLane embarks on a new journey that invites all residents to step outside of their comfort zone and immerse themselves into the transformative world of nature. 

Imagine for a moment…you open your eyes, inhale a fresh breath of sea air, paddle gently around a bend of knee-high, golden marsh reeds, only to find an estuarine cove teaming with life. Cranes perched patiently along the shore, pelicans gliding over the glassy water, dolphins gracefully swimming through the warm waves, inhaling and exhaling in a calm cadence, all to the backdrop of a sky bursting with luminous color. It’s places like this where AyoLane guides participants to connect with nature and take a moment to disconnect from the busyness of our human worlds. 

Experiences such as this are what make Earth Kinship. After all, that’s the beauty of experiences, they’re not merely mental, or passive, they fully immerse the mind, body and spirit, and enable the person to truly connect with a dynamic environment. When combined with nature, this process has the power to reduce cortisol levels, make lasting educational connections in the mind, and develop an emotional bond to a given place. In this sense, a resident can truly become connected to the land in which they live, providing them with a new window into their world and reintroducing them to their fellow local inhabitants, however many feathers or scales they may don. 

In today’s world of non-stop entertainment and endless screen time, the dizzying amounts of stimulus can seem to never quite slow down or soothe, and real experiences grounded in nature, at its harmonious pace and ancient rhythm, can offer a much-needed respite for modern dwellers of St. Augustine. 

To this end, Earth Kinship offers a number of unique experiences for you to unplug and reconnect, to explore and rediscover. With trips like the Search for Bartram’s Ixia, which takes you through the lush lowlands to find a rare and mysterious flower unique to Northeast Florida first cataloged by famed naturalist William Bartram, you’re sure to experience Florida in its timeless form. Or perhaps on an overnight camping trip by kayak to experience Florida under the stars and study the nocturnal nightlife that emerges when the sun goes down. Whether you’re seeking adventure, learning opportunities, or simply a way to get outside, there’s no telling what you’ll discover with Earth Kinship. 

At the core of Earth Kinship’s mission is to make sure all residents have the opportunity to experience the beauty of our home. Regardless of age, ability, color, creed, or neighborhood, Earth Kinship is committed to sharing nature for all. Wherever you come from and whoever you are, nature awaits you with open arms.

As AyoLane often tells participants, “When you look into nature, nature looks into you.” Take a look into nature, you never know what sights you may uncover! 

For more information visit earthkinship.us and learn about how you can immerse yourself in St. Augustine’s natural beauty. 

You can also find Earth Kinship on social media at @earthkinship.