The Children of the Earth Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Tom Brown Jr.. Through our Coyote Tracks Programs, our organization teaches wilderness survival, nature awareness, tracking, and outdoor environmental education to youth ages 4-17.

These programs began in 1999 and operated under The Tracker, Inc. until the summer of 2001 when The Children of the Earth Foundation began housing them.

Tom Brown, Jr, --
…”a small child enters the world of nature totally. There is no inner or outer dimension. There is no analysis, or consciousness of time, or withholding of self. What there is in a child's mind is the joy of play and the total giving of self to the moment.”

The arts of wilderness survival, nature awareness, and tracking bring you back to your basic needs. With this understanding of what it takes to keep you alive an understanding of how we take care of our planet moves to the forefront of our awareness. It also allows you to separate your wants from your needs which is so important in managing everyday life.

The arts of survival are a doorway to give us more awareness of how our environment works and how we fit in as caretakers. When you go out into the woods you look at the landscape as a caretaker; meaning what here needs my help? When you truly embody the caretaker attitude then you, with practice of your survival skills, will be taken care of by the Earth.

There is a great freedom that comes along with the ability to walk into the woods and live comfortably. One lives in a different pace, not hurried to get somewhere, but absorbed into the moment. The destination becomes secondary to the journey. So much of our lives are spent concentrating on the destination that we miss the journey and never “stop to smell the flowers”.

There is much to be gained from an understanding of nature. This can be applied to everyday life in school and work. These skills create self confidence in the knowing of being able to take care of one self. If you can figure out how to make a fire from the bow-drill you can figure out that math equation. The parable of cordage and the skills of creating it will help you understand friendship and learning how to become a caretaker in the woods will help you see the healthy or unhealthy patterns in your daily life. Most of all you will feel more a part of the Earth and with more understanding able to create a healthier planet for all life.

Rick Berry, Director COTEF