Outdoor Learning Conference 2026

Outdoor educators often navigate the tension between what they know fosters meaningful
learning and the risk-averse, liability-focused expectations of their institutions. Policies, consent
processes, and cultural perspectives on risk and safety can limit play, challenge, and
exploration, creating hidden costs for both educators and participants, including diminished
curiosity, resilience, and connection. This workshop invites participants to examine “the waiver
we are not signing,” the silent agreements we make each time we avoid uncertainty. Through
discussion, reflection, and experiential exercises, participants will explore the risks of action and
inaction. Together we will consider how risk management practices can be reimagined to
include diverse cultural perspectives and to support more reciprocal, relational, and
decolonizing approaches to outdoor learning.