Indigenous Ecological Education: About Living Wild in the City Inc.

At Living Wild in the City Inc., our mission is to provide quality education and support to children with special needs. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment where every child can thrive through urban environmental education and sustainable practices, including offering Indigenous eco tours that enrich their learning experience.

I am Alan Colley, founder of Living Wild in the City. For over fourteen years, I have guided Indigenous eco tours and land-based workshops throughout Toronto’s green spaces. My work is grounded in lived experience, traditional ecological knowledge, and a commitment to sustainable practices for future generations. As a father of three, I am dedicated to providing urban environmental education that fosters environmental stewardship and strengthens the next seven generations.

Our Philosophy

Living Wild in the City is guided by a relational philosophy rooted in Indigenous ecological knowledge. We understand land not as property, but as relationship.

Everything is interconnected — water, plants, animals, people, and the systems that sustain life. When one part of the system is neglected, the whole is affected. When one part is restored, balance begins to return.

Our work is grounded in the understanding that urban spaces are not separate from nature. The city is land. The rivers still flow. The plants still teach. The seasons still move.

Through experiential learning, we cultivate awareness of natural systems, respect for cultural knowledge, responsibility in action, and accountability to future generations. Our Indigenous eco tours exemplify this philosophy, emphasizing sustainable practices that align with the rhythms of the natural world.

The Medicine Wheel reminds us that balance must exist between physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions. Environmental stewardship is not only scientific — it is relational.

We believe that urban environmental education should not only inform — it should transform. Every tour, workshop, and teaching space we create is designed to restore connection, encourage reflection, and inspire practical environmental responsibility.

Our guiding principle is simple: Act today in a way that strengthens life seven generations from now.

Miigwetch.

🌿 About Living Wild in the City

Living Wild in the City is an Indigenous-led experiential education initiative based in Tkaronto (Toronto). Founded by Alan Colley, the organization evolved from Toronto Aboriginal Eco Tours and continues to provide immersive land-based learning experiences grounded in Indigenous ecological knowledge, including Indigenous eco tours that highlight sustainable practices.

Our work reconnects people to the land within urban environments. Through guided eco tours, Medicine Wheel teachings, cultural workshops, and digital educational content, we help participants understand their relationship to local waterways, plant life, wildlife, and seasonal systems while promoting urban environmental education.

We believe the city is not separate from nature — it is land. Our programs cultivate environmental literacy, cultural awareness, and relational responsibility by integrating traditional teachings with practical ecological understanding, emphasizing sustainable practices.

Living Wild in the City serves schools, community organizations, institutions, families, and curious learners of all ages. Programs are designed to be inclusive, adaptable, and rooted in respect for both cultural knowledge and contemporary learning environments.

As we grow, we are expanding into digital land-based education, providing accessible content for educators and online communities who seek meaningful environmental learning grounded in Indigenous perspective.

Our mission is simple: to foster sustainable relationships with the land so that seven generations from now, what we nurture today continues to grow strong.

Miigwetch

🌿 Our Programs

Living Wild in the City offers immersive, land-based programs designed to cultivate ecological awareness, cultural understanding, and environmental responsibility through direct experiences in urban environmental education. 

🌿 Pricing

All programs are facilitated by Living Wild in the City and are adaptable for schools, community groups, and organizations.

🌊 Eco Tours & Presentations

1-Hour Presentation

$375

3-Hour Guided Eco Tour

$640

Full-Day Immersion (9:00am–3:00pm)

$1,200

📦 Multi-Session Booking

Book four sessions and receive a 20% discount.

Ideal for schools or organizations seeking ongoing engagement around sustainable practices.

👥 Group Size

Recommended maximum: 30 participants

$20 per additional participant over 30. Groups over 40 are recommended to split into two sessions. Larger groups can be accommodated with additional facilitators.

🚗 Travel

A $70 travel fee applies for locations outside Toronto.

💳 Booking & Payment Policy

$300 deposit required to secure booking. Remaining balance due on day of tour. Electronic transfer preferred.

If a deposit cannot be made, a $64 administrative surcharge applies.

🌦 Cancellation Policy

48 hours’ notice required. In the event of severe weather (lightning or winds exceeding 40 km/h), programs will be rescheduled.

🌊 1. Indigenous Eco Tours (Urban Land-Based Learning)

Guided experiential tours through Toronto’s rivers, forests, and green spaces rooted in Indigenous ecological teachings. Each tour includes:

- Opening Sharing Circle

- Indigenous perspectives on land and creation

- Urban watershed education

- Local flora and fauna identification

- Discussion on sustainability and stewardship

- Reflection and integration

Ideal for schools, community groups, corporate teams, youth programs, and families.

Duration Options:

- 1 Hour Presentation

- 3 Hour Guided Tour

- Full Day Immersion (9am–3pm)

🔥 2. Medicine Wheel & Sustainability Workshop

A facilitated discussion and experiential workshop grounded in traditional Medicine Wheel teachings. Participants explore:

- Creation and natural systems

- Balance and sustainability

- Human roles as land stewards

- Environmental ethics

- Waterway protection and preservation

This program blends dialogue, reflection, and practical environmental awareness, emphasizing sustainable practices. Adaptable for classrooms, leadership groups, community organizations, and institutional settings.

🌱 3. Waterways & Watershed Education

Focused programming centered on Toronto’s river systems and shoreline ecosystems. Participants learn:

- Watershed systems and flow patterns

- Indigenous teachings about water

- Fish habitat and aquatic life

- Pollution impact and restoration

- Practical water protection strategies

This program emphasizes hands-on environmental literacy in urban environmental education.

🐟 4. Traditional Harvest & Ethical Fishing Education

With over 30 years of fishing experience, Alan offers educational sessions focused on:

- Fish species identification

- Sustainable harvesting practices

- Respectful relationship to animal life

- Traditional ethical harvesting teachings

- River-based ecological systems

This program can include shore-based demonstrations and discussion of Indigenous harvesting protocols.

🌿 5. Custom Land-Based Learning Programs

We work with schools, organizations, and institutions to develop tailored experiential programs based on:

- Age group

- Curriculum needs

- Cultural focus

- Environmental themes

- Seasonal timing

Custom programs can combine walking tours, workshop discussions, and interactive learning activities.