Offering teachings about nature, spirituality and humble living.

Redtail Nature Awareness is a nature retreat and experiential education centre located in a beautiful semi-wilderness region of northern Nova Scotia, Canada. It was founded in 1991 by Billy MacDonald and is now co-lead by his wife and partner Nova. Redtail offers year round camps for youth and nature retreats for adults that help participants explore the richness, mystery and sacredness that is inherent in nature. We are located on 120 acres of beautiful semi-wilderness and reclaimed farm land. It is hilly terrain with remnant stands of old growth forests and fresh upland streams throughout. The base camp area encompasses a majestic stand of old growth hemlock. Many special moments are to be had under the shelter of its canopy. Redtail is designed with simplicity in mind, with no running water, electricity or "modern" amenities. The facilities consist of a 24 by 30 foot pole barn which serves as its summer camping facility and a similar size enclosed cabin with a sleeping loft for year round programs. Participants can sleep in the lodge, pitch a tent or sleep under the stars in the beautiful hemlock grove. The camp also encompasses an outdoor sweat house. Traditional saunas are held as a special closure on the final night of most camps.



I am a self-taught environmental educator and youth mentor. My motivation for founding the camp came from witnessing the environmental degradation of land I knew and loved as a boy. My work has been influenced by my experience working in Inuit communities, studies with tracker and spiritual teacher, Thom Brown Jr. and the teachings of deep ecology. I believe that nature should not be viewed as a resource. I want to help people build and sustain non-exploitative relationships with wild nature and form an enduring connection to place.



I am deeply connected to nature and in particular to the element of Earth. I consider it my sacred contract to help people deeply connect with the Earth Mother and to the sacred that is in all nature. I practice Earth medicine ways and am trained in indigenous healing practices through the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. I also have a background in psychology and psychosynthesis. I believe that a spiritual reconnection to the web of life is necessary if we are to begin to find our way out of the social and environmental crisis that confronts us today.

CONTACT US:

Redtail Nature Awareness
400 MacBeth Road, RR#2 Scotsburn, Nova Scotia, Canada, B0K 1R0
Phone: (902) 485.4688
email: info@redtailnatureawareness.ca