Welcome to Wise Oak
We provide engaging learning experiences to help you build a meaningful, hands-on connection to nature.
Classes take place in Montreal and in Kahnawake.
Our classes are bilingual and open to all experience levels.
Click here for our 2024 calendar
Upcoming Classes & Courses
Forest Feast
{Kahnawake}
6 classes + end of season feast
Drop-in spots available
Sept-Nov 2024
Treat yourself to a season of savouring
Forage wild edible plants, cook delicious food with fire, and learn about indigenous food culture from our Kanienkeha'ka guest instructors.
Firekeepers
{Kahnawake}
5 Classes + 2 night campout
Drop-in spots available
Sept-Nov 2024
Challenge yourself with a season of skills
Learn practical wilderness living and bushcraft techniques, craft your own outdoor equipment, and then put it all together with a weekend campout on wild land.
Nature Walks
{Mount Royal}
Bite-size workshops to get more nature in your life
Upcoming:
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I'm Jesse, founder of Wise Oak.
These courses have grown from my lifelong quest to deeply understand the living world. I’ve been growing my foraging and wilderness skills for 15 years, from curious dabbling to getting professional training and going on remote expeditions. I believe hands-on interaction with the land can move us towards a more regenerative relationship with nature. Click here to find out more.
If you’re ready to build a hands-on connection with nature, let's make it happen.
Who is this for?
This might be for you if…
You live in the city, but you want a lifestyle that’s closer to nature.
You love books like Braiding Sweetgrass, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, The Hidden Life of Trees, and The Overstory.
You want to understand the land you live on, including its indigenous past and present.
Theoretical knowledge sticks best for you when you get your hands dirty. You don’t just want to read or watch YouTube; you want to do.
You can’t quite find the time, places, or friends to organize your own outings. You’d enjoy just showing up without needing to plan.
You appreciate a bilingual and multicultural space where we bounce between English, French, and “Franglish”.
You’re looking for a community of like-minded people to learn with.
What this is not about…
It’s not about appropriating indigenous spirituality or role-playing as native. Our indigenous hosts and guest instructors might not share certain parts of their cultures.
None of our instructors are all-knowing gurus. You might hear “I don’t know” and “it depends” often.
This is likely not a good fit for “lone wolf” survivalist types. We can teach you realistic survival skills, but our approach is collaborative, not competitive.
The site in Kahnawake
We are grateful to be able to host our programs on Kanien’kehá ka (Mohawk) territory in our friend Kawisente Carole McGregor’s forested backyard. Occasional classes do take place right in Montreal, but most are held in Kahnawake. We share the site with Kawisente’s family, our colleagues at Coyote Programs, and many plant and animal neighbours.
Getting there
Driving: From Montreal, it’s a 20-45 minute drive to Kahnawake depending on your starting point and traffic. Morning traffic on the weekends is typically fine.
Carpooling: We set up an online carpooling sheet to help participants organize rides, and this works out quite well.
Other Options: In rare instances where carpooling doesn’t work out and you don’t own a car, we suggest renting a Communauto.
*Detailed directions will be provided upon registration
Amenities
The site is situated in a beautiful mature Eastern Hardwood forest that provides an ideal outdoor classroom.
Amenities are basic, but that’s where our bushcraft skills come in. We have a fire circle and log benches, large rain tarps if it rains, water jugs for drinking and handwashing, and an outhouse for bathroom duties. It’s like being in a wilderness base camp, right beside the city.
Please let us know if you have any specific accessibility needs.
Cultural Respect
Kahnawake is the territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka nation (the People of the Flint, a.k.a Mohawks). Our host Kawisente Carole McGregor has generously invited us to offer classes at her home with the goal of cross-cultural learning and exchange.
As guests, it’s important to come with a respectful attitude and behaviour, both at classes and when visiting Kahnawake.
Wise Oak is not an Indigenous-run company. We do however have Indigenous instructors in class on a regular basis, and centering Indigenous knowledge systems is an important part of our work.
If you are Kahnawakehro:non, or Indigenous from another place and have questions or want to participate, please reach out.