The Worldwide Movement

Sharing Nature sparked a worldwide revolution in nature education 
—National Association for Interpretation​

Here are the full bio's of our best Sharing Nature country representatives. Each one is deeply experienced.
Sharing Nature representatives are exceptional individuals who love nature and people, and can bring them beautifully together. 

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                           Rita Mendonca
                           Sharing Nature Worldwide
                        Country Coordinator for Brazil
 
When Rita read the book Sharing Nature with Children for the first time, a simple sentence caught her attention: “Don’t feel bad about not knowing names”. As a biologist, she knew many scientific names but felt that naming plants and animals in this way distanced her students from direct, sensitive and profound experience with the natural world. At that moment she understood that she had finally found what she was looking for: a simple, practical and inspiring approach to experiential environmental education.
 
Since then she engaged both in practices with her groups and in the translation of Sharing Nature with Children and Sharing the Joy of Nature.
 
When she invited Joseph to come to Brazil for the book launch in 1996, he invited her to coordinate Sharing Nature activities in her country.
 
Initially, she was concerned with proposing Sharing Nature Experience programs as an educator, and in 2004 she formed the “Instituto Romã of Nature Experiences”, which today offers several programs that include Sharing Nature in addition to the Sharing Nature training, where participants learn how to practice Flow Learning with their groups.
 
These programs have already taken place in almost all Brazilian states, in addition to courses that have been held in Argentina and Venezuela. The Romã Institute produced a new translation of Joseph Cornell's books in 2005 and 2008, which are currently circulating throughout the country.
 
She and her team invited Joseph to come to Brazil twice more, in 1999 and in 2006.
 
Rita wrote 5 books on various topics related to philosophies of Nature, based on her interest in stimulating in-depth reflections after a period of direct experiences with Nature based on Sharing Nature. Besides her activities in Sharing Nature Programs she is an Associate Professor at Escola Schumacher Brazil and coordinator of the graduate course “The Nature We Are.”
 
Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences, Specialization in Environmental Planning, Master's Degree in Sociology of Development
Rita is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, English and French
Contact: [email protected]                                 +55 (11)97395-2269

                                         Lin Hong
                         Sharing Nature Worldwide
                      Country Coordinator for China
 
In 2009 Lin Hong discovered Joseph Cornell’s book Sharing Nature with Children. Her mission and love for nature came alive as she explored and learned to lead urban families in nature play and nature experiences in city parks.
 
Steeped in the Sharing Nature inspiration, Lin Hong joined the China Nature Education Network as a board member in 2014 and in 2015  established The Enjoy Nature Habitat Nature School.
 
Soon after she traveled to the Global Sharing Nature Center in California to sign on as a representative for China.
 
In 2017 she invited our Sharing Nature founder, Joseph Cornell, to be the keynote speaker at the 4th Session China Nature Education Forum and to conduct a 5-city national workshop tour. They promoted the establishment of the China Nature Education Network Talent Committee in the same year and Lin Hong became one of the committee members.
 
Sharing Nature was now taking off in China! In 2018 she organized the Sharing Nature Beginner and Intermediate Workshops, applying Sharing Nature activities and the Flow Learning Method to forest healing, early childhood education, and adult healing, helping people to lead Sharing Nature activities in a simple and powerful way.
 
During the 2020-2023 pandemic, Lin Hong and her growing team conducted online Sharing Nature courses and various types of live video broadcasts.
 
Currently, 55 Sharing Nature Beginner trainings have been held in 19 cities in China, training about 1,200 beginner facilitators. They have conducted 7 intermediate trainings, training 131 intermediate facilitators, and a total of 10 Sharing Nature China trainers. The total number of people trained in the online live streaming and online courses is more  than 30,000 people.
 
Lin Hong looks forward to collaborating and serving with fellow country coordinators from other countries to bring Sharing Nature to receptive people everywhere.

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                                          Monica Franco
                              Sharing Nature Worldwide
                        Country Coordinator for Portugal
 
Mónica, the co-founder of Movimento Bloom, a non-profit environmental association, embarked on a transformative journey in 2010 when she received the book Sharing Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell as a Christmas gift. This gift sparked a profound realization within her as she delved into the content and inspiration. The Flow Learning methodology presented in the book resonated deeply with her association's mission of connecting children with nature.
 
Driven by enthusiasm, Mónica discovered that the concept of Sharing Nature extended globally and wasted no time in reaching out to establish a partnership with Sharing Nature for Portugal. The official partnership was solidified in 2012, appointing Mónica as the country coordinator through  Bloom, a role she has passionately embraced ever since.
 
In 2013, Mónica sought to deepen her expertise in the Flow Learning method and embarked on a journey to the Sharing Nature Center in California. Little did she know that this experience would not only enhance her training but also profoundly transform her. Immersed in the teachings of The Sky and the Earth Touched me by Joseph, she found herself connecting with nature in a way that brought healing, well-being, and a sense of peace like never before.
 
Returning to Portugal, Mónica brought with her a serene energy infused with the essence of the natural world she had experienced. This journey had not only enriched her understanding of nature but had also brought her back to herself, to a place she could truly call home. Mónica's profound journey with nature and education has not only impacted children but has also inspired her to extend the mission of Bloom to include adults, offering them the opportunity to reconnect with nature.
 
This expansion of the association's mission reflects Mónica's dedication to providing transformative experiences for individuals of all ages. In recent years, Mónica has shared her expertise both in Portugal and internationally, participating as a speaker at various conferences focused on environmental conservation and education. Her presence at events such as the Children &  Nature International conference in Texas and San Francisco has garnered attention and admiration for her work. She has also been actively involved in providing free training to teachers, emphasizing the importance of outdoor learning and the effectiveness of the Flow Learning methodology that she implements at her Forest School. She found her true calling in fostering a love for the environment within the hearts of those she encountered.
 
Her journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of connecting with the natural world and inspiring others to do the same. She continues to be a beacon of light, guiding with enthusiasm others to use flow learning to connect with the beauty and significance of nature. She truly believes that fostering such connections is vital for the future of humanity and the planet.
 
Monica is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and English
Contact: [email protected]   
+351 912 261 666

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Camila Caceres
Sharing Nature Worldwide
Global Country Coordinator for Chile.
Camila is an Environmental Educator, certificated by North Wales Outdoor Learning, UK. Currently she runs the Chaski Escuela in which she seeks to bring people closer to nature. Working as an environmental educator on a variety of projects, she trains preschool educators in outdoor learning methodologies and sustainability.
 Camila found Sharing Nature  in 2021 when she began searching for outdoor  environmental education initiatives. After discovering  Joseph Cornell’s  book, Sharing Nature, she began to incorporate these engaging nature activities in her outdoor education programs. She took her first Sharing Nature course with Brazil’s Country Coordinator, Rita Mendonca in 2022, and then went to Patagonia Argentina to take the in person course. There, two full days of Sharing Nature and Flow Learning transformed her experience into a more dynamic way of living environmental education. Camila was always a nature sensitive, but the Sharing Nature activities and philosophy opened her to an even deeper experience.
 Camila’s Chaski project promotes the rights of children to live in a healthy and clean environment, the right to free play, movement and rest, and to encourage imagination.
 Camila holds a Masters in Eco-regional Development in International Cooperation University from Costa Rica. She is a member of the research Center for Early Childhood and Public Policies through the Department of Education, Universidad de Chile.
 Other Positions: Coordinator for Vice Versa Project of the Green Please for Kids  Foundation; Specialist at the Spain-Peru Accessibility Institute; Certified by Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute of Guatemala.
 
Camila speaks Spanish, French, English  and Portuguese.
Contact: [email protected]

.                            Sang-Ook Chang
                      Sharing Nature Worldwide
                   Country Coordinator for Korea

Sang-Ook Chang, a professional nature educator  overseeing the Sharing Nature program in Korea. His deep interest in outdoor activities utilizes the power of nature and human wisdom in deepening one’s experiences.
Sang-Ook’s journey with Sharing Nature began in a bookstore in Japan. He discovered a book called Sharing Nature with Children, which ignited his passion for nature education. After experiencing the healing power of nature, he pursued training in Sharing Nature and participated in various environmental and forest education programs. He grew through the teachings of Joseph Bharat Cornell and the collaboration with colleagues around the world.
Sharing Nature stands out from other forest environment programs. It emphasizes "nature awareness" and the "Flow Learning" method. These activities boost enthusiasm and concentration in children and provide a sense of peace and healing for adults.
Sang-Ook currently teaches forest healing. He’s an early childhood forest instructor, forest interpreter, and natural environment interpreter teaching certification courses at universities and lifelong education centers. He also conducts leader training for environmental and forest education in social organizations and manages facilities entrusted by the Korea Forest Service, focusing on Sharing Nature-based education.
In nature environment education programs, it is crucial to understand and convey the philosophy and objectives of the program, not just focus on the field itself. Tailoring the program to the participants' state of mind and the field conditions is also important. We call this Nature Awareness Education through Flow Learning, which aims to share and experience the peace and love of the present moment.
Sang-Ook is known for engaging field education based on solid theory and philosophy. He is particularly dedicated to nature healing and early childhood education. In 2008, he received the Excellent Leader Award from the Ministry of Environment. He has translated and published 32 books on nature education, including those related to Sharing Nature.
Sang-Ook is committed to sharing the beauty and the healing power of nature with more people.
Languages spoken: Korean and Japanese.

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Naoko Miyoshi
Sharing Nature Worldwide
Global Country Coordinator for Japan

Naoko has been an enthusiastic and core leader of Sharing Nature in Japan since 1986 and is currently serving as Executive Director and lead trainer. Naoko and her team have trained over 45,000 leaders and created ongoing and active Sharing Nature networks. She was involved with the original Japanese organization, Japan Nature Studies that found the Sharing Nature Worldwide movement.  She is in charge of supporting the Environmental Education field and implementing Sharing Nature into their training program.
 
In 1985 Naoko visited the Sharing Nature founder, Joseph Cornell and his wife Anandi at the Sharing Nature headquarters at Ananda Village in Northern California. At Naoko’s invitation, Joseph and Anandi then traveled to Japan in 1986 giving workshops and sharing the many Sharing Nature activities with enthusiastic participants. Since then, she has helped organize 7 visits to Japan and has brought Japanese visitors to the Sharing Nature Center with Joseph in California for deeper trainings.
 
She has supported local organizations and international exchange programs. With her  adventuresome spirit, Naoko has extended her reach to Indonesia, Thailand, and Siberia. Currently she is connected to Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, India and 10 other countries. She works at the Japan International Cooperation Agency which dispatch volunteers to many countries as a government project.
 
Naoko says this work has been her life treasure, reaching  out to other cultures, languages and generations. . . to spread the inspiration of Sharing Nature to enrich the lives of people worldwide.
 
Contact: 三好直子 [email protected]

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