Apprenticeships
Do you want to learn about which plants can help you to boost your immune system, or how to make rope out of plants?
Have you ever wondered what animal left those tracks on the muddy trail?
If you want to learn about herbalism, plant medicine, plant identification and even more about plants, or learn about wildlife and ecosystems and how to track animals: Earth Tracks offers two apprenticeship programs that allow you to fully immerse yourself in the subject for one weekend a month with like-minded peers for 8 months (Wild Plants Apprenticeship) or 10 months (Wildlife Tracking Apprenticeship).
Our apprenticeship
programs are designed to give you a structure and series of dates that you can fit into your busy schedule. These weekends are times that you can let go of “modern life” and dive deeply into your study of the natural world. At Earth Tracks we strive to create a strong mentoring community of folks who are passionate about connecting to the earth in a deep and powerful way.
As each weekend passes our connections to ourselves, each other, and the natural world grow stronger. We begin to see and experience the world in an ancient and powerful way. We are part of nature and nature is a part of us. By learning to read the subtle and not-so-subtle clues that the natural world is continually sending us, we begin to see our role in this web of life and how we can use our own personal gifts to create balance and harmony (both internally and externally). We understand that people lead busy lives and it can be hard to carve out the time to connect with the natural world; by committing to these weekends you can plan ahead and immerse yourself in a powerful holistic program that balances both scientific knowledge and intuitive wisdom.
During our weekends, we camp together on our land and share food, stories, and laughter around the fire. On some of the weekends there will also be time in the evenings spent continuing our learning and understanding of the subject matter through workshop time and discussions. This is a time for us to unwind together, tell our ‘story of the day’ and continue our learning and research from our time in the field. It is these times where the connections in our group grow and many lasting friendships have formed.
These Apprenticeship programs
are geared towards people of all ages and experience levels. You can tailor your experience by joining us just for the weekends or adding extra depth to your experience by diving deep into each area of study through ‘take-home assignments’ and community projects. We are here to support, guide, and mentor you on this learning journey.
We want to make our apprenticeships as accessible as possible, so if you’d like to work out a payment plan, please let us know.
Are you looking to deepen 
your understanding of how to use plants in your daily lives for food, medicine and crafts?
Do you find it hard to find the time to fit this into your busy life?
Would you like to deepen your connection to the plant world with a group of other people who share your interests and love for nature?
If so, then the Wild Plants Apprenticeship program is for you. This program is all about learning ways to bring plants into your everyday life. By joining us in this experience you will learn how to properly identify plants, as well as how to ethically harvest, preserve, prepare and eat, and preserve them. You will also learn about how to make medicine and crafts (such baskets, glue, cordage, art, etc.) and how to become a steward of the land—and much more. Many of the plants that we use can be found around your homes no matter where you live. By joining this program, you will be entering into a community of people who are dedicated to learning from both a scientific and intuitive way of working with plants.
Each weekend that we spe
nd together is designed to build upon the previous one as you continue to develop and nurture your relationship to not only the plants, but to nature as a whole. At the completion of this program you will be well on your way to embodying many of the skills necessary to be competent and confident using plants for food, medicine, and crafts. There is no other program like this in Ontario and we look forward to offering this powerful and transformative experience every year.
We are excited to be offering this program again in 2025. This is the 14th year we have offered this experience and we look forward to another amazing year being on the land with a new group of participants. There has never been a better time to learn about all the ways to use plants for food, medicine and utilitarian purposes!
2025 Schedule
May 10th & 11th Intro Weekend—Identification, ethics, etc.
June 7th & 8th Wild Edible Plants
July 5th & 6th Medicinal Plants
August 2nd & 3rd The Spirit of Plants
September 20th & 21st Utilitarian Uses of Plants: Cordage, baskets, etc…
October 4th & 5th Trees, Caretaking, and Land Stewardship
October 25th & 26th Roots: Harvest, Storage, and Preparation
November 22nd & 23rd Herbal Medicine-Making/Final Celebration
This 8-month apprenticeship is $2,200 + HST. A payment plan is possible so please contact us at earthtracks@gmail.com for more information or to register. A $500 deposit is required to reserve a space in the program.
For more info on this Program please see the posters below.
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“What an amazing journey of growth this apprenticeship has been! I now feel much more familiar with the plants around me. I have harvested violet greens, made tinctures with red clover flowers, cooked wild leek soup and used yarrow to stop the bleeding of my wounds. These are just a few of my new plant friends. The apprenticeship with Earth Tracks allowed me the focused time and mentoring to get to know the plants around me, through the seasons. I am more comfortable harvesting them, eating them, preparing them and even communicating with them!”
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“The Wild Plants Apprenticeship program was a monthly highlight for me. I loved being exposed to the many facets and faces of the plant world. It is so much richer and majestic than I could have imagined.”
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“I thoroughly enjoyed my time each and every weekend. Meeting and learning from like-minded people is very inspiring, refreshing and very important to me in my life. And I am truly grateful that Alexis has provided this. I now see the world in a whole new light and plants through a new lens which will help to guide me for life. I am looking forward to staying connected to the people I have met. Thank you all.”
How would you like to 
walk outside and be able to see the ecological links that hold this natural system in balance?
How would you like to walk out your front door and begin to read the clues left by the animals, just as easily as you would read the morning newspaper?
Everything in nature is a ‘track’: a message or calling card that we can read and use to gain an understanding of the pattern and flow of the natural world. The Wildlife Tracking Apprenticeship program is designed to open your eyes to the tracks and sign of the wildlife that live all around us. Through this program we consciously blend the many skillsets required to become a competent tracker. We pay close attention to both the science and art of tracking, and give students the time and experiences to learn about tracking and natural history in a holistic way.
Our weekends take place in Southern Ontario (Grey and Dufferin County – 8 weekends) and Algonquin Park (2 weekends). We travel to a variety of habitats and have a theme (ex. Track and Sign, Gaits and Track Patterns, Ecology and Landscape Tracking, etc.) that guides our learning during our time together. Through the study of tracking we also learn about the ecology and relationships that the animals have to the natural world. Our skills as naturalists and trackers grow and we begin to recognize patterns and connections in the web of life.
In previous years, the Wildlife Tracking Apprenticeship program has had people from all walks of life join us—teachers, outdoor educators, small business owners, factory workers, wildlife biologists, doctors, homeschooling parents, and many more.
This program is not only about learning about the wildlife that lives in Ontario, but also learning about our entire eco-system and how it works together. These skills and experiences can then be shared with our communities through our work, our stories, and our passion and desire to help others see and experience nature in a deep and powerful way.
2025-26 will mark the 14th year that we have run this program and we have just opened up the registration process for future tracking students.
Contact us today if you would like to register for this program info@earthtracks.ca
Wildlife Tracking Apprenticeship – 2025-26
Schedule & Locations
May 24th & 25th – Orangeville Area – Sign Tracking and Intro to Wildlife Tracking
June 14th & 15th – Grey County – Small Mammal/Bird & Invertebrate Tracking
July 19th & 20th – Grey County – An Intro to Pressure Releases
August 30th & 31st – Algonquin Park – Algonquin Wildlife – Summer
September 13th & 14th – Orangeville Area – Landscape & Habitat Tracking/Ecological Perspective
October 11th & 12th – Grey County – Open Tracking Theme
December 6th & 7th – Parry Sound Area – Aging, Trailing and an Intro to Gaits
January 10th and 11th – Orangeville Area – Extended Trailing Skills
February 14th & 15th – Algonquin Park – Algonquin Winter Wildlife
March 14th & 15th – Grey County – ‘Fun-Evaluation’ and Celebration
Click here to see a video of Alexis describing the Wildlife Tracking Apprenticeship program in more detail.
This 10-month apprenticeship is $2,300 (+HST). Two payment plan options are available. A $500 deposit is required to reserve a space in the program. Contact us directly at info@earthtracks.ca to register for this program.
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"To say that Earth Track's Tracking Apprenticeship is a great experience would be putting it lightly. I learned, not just about the physical aspects of tracking, but also that tracking is about so much more. It is about connecting deeply with nature which reflects to us who we are, helps us to become more self-aware, opens our eyes to the unseen and guides us in this incredible journey which we call life."
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"My original purpose for taking the course was to improve my tracking skills from a would-be hunter's perspective. As the months progressed, I discovered that I was absorbing a huge amount of information that I had never expected. In addition to tracking, I was able to expand my knowledge of plants, trees and birds. I was glad I had the chance to be around such an experienced and knowledgeable instructor, and I learned a lot not only from Alexis, but from my fellow apprentices as well."
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"On the last day of my tracking apprenticeship, my group was presented with a “grand finale” tracking mystery composed by nature herself. Fortunately, Alexis had orchestrated ten months of valuable experiences and learning opportunities to prepare us for the arrangement that lay ahead. We would need to apply track and sign identification, gait analysis, kill site analysis, and awareness training. Through careful observation and discussion, we were able to weave together the details of a fantastic predator prey chase between a fox and a hare. It was a celebration of the art and science of tracking. This is one of many highlights in the tracking apprenticeship program with Alexis Burnett. I highly recommend this program!"
We also offer a second-year (‘Ring 2’) program for graduates of our apprenticeship programs. This program runs concurrently with the first year program. It provides a platform for you to take your learning to another level and continue to increase your skills and mentoring experience.
During this time the second-year students continue to work on their own personal goals as it relates to Wildlife Tracking or Working with Plants. They also work with Alexis behind the scenes to experience how the apprenticeship program works and the planning, execution, and feedback that is required to make this program a success. Students will learn how our mentoring system works and receive training in the 8 Shields model of mentoring.
Our second-year apprentices have learned a lot through their experiences, and they are well on their way to embodying the skills and attributes it takes to guide others on this journey.
The 2nd year tracking program at Earth Tracks was an amazing experience! The difference between the first year and second year could be likened to the difference between learning to walk and learning to ride a bicycle. As first year participant I gained a new perspective and a new footing in the world of track and sign. As a second year participant I used my “footing” to propel me with momentum and maneuverability through the landscape. I couldn’t recommend it any more highly!
