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Golden Years Nature Club
"It's a great learning experience about everyday things we take for granted in nature. We are never too old to learn."
​Loneliness isn’t just a feeling that aging adults experience – it’s a serious health concern. In 2024, the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust research team (Steve Leonard, Jane Taylor, Emmaline Weist, Dr. Em Loerzel, and Dr. Shawyn Domyancich-Lee) explored a unique solution: nature. The project Golden Years Nature Club aims to determine the effects of nature-based programming on feelings of loneliness and social isolation in adults aged 55 and older in Pierce and St. Croix County. Programs such as birding, nature walks, fly fishing, animal interactions, and storytelling can help aid aging adults to feel more connected with themselves, with nature, and with their community.​
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What makes the Golden Years Nature Club special is how deeply committed we are to building community. Local residents, organizations, and care facilities work hand-in-hand to design and guide every program — ensuring they reflect the needs, values, and rhythms of the seniors we serve. These aren’t cookie-cutter activities: they are thoughtfully crafted to be meaningful, accessible, and built around connection. At its heart, the Golden Years Nature Club is about more than just keeping busy; it’s about rekindling joy and belonging. With guidance from KRLT staff and the generous support from the Inclusa Foundation, our programs spark curiosity, foster creativity, and invite participants to slow down and reconnect with the natural world.​
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What We Offer
The Golden Years Nature Club offers a growing lineup of nature-based programs designed to inspire, engage, and nurture connection. Activities such as Trees & Teas, Birding & Bingo, and Rock Talk take place at local living facilities and blend gentle interaction with learning and creativity, while guided hikes at KRLT preserves and other natural areas invite participants to explore streams, prairies, woodlands, and the Kinnickinnic River. Hands-on experiences like fly-fishing, farm visits, and nature observation help seniors reconnect with the simple pleasures of being outdoors. As Community Outreach Coordinator Jane Taylor explains,
“My goal was to create programs that encourage participants to slow down, notice the details around them, and rediscover the joy that comes from being outside.”
These experiences foster meaningful social connections and stories from participants’ childhoods, families, and communities, offering something to look forward to each week.
Local participant enjoys the Kinnickinnic River during a group outing.
Our Vision For the Future
As the Golden Years Nature Club (GYNC) continues to grow, KRLT is committed to expanding its reach throughout the region. We will continue providing outreach to surrounding cities across Pierce and St. Croix counties, ensuring seniors in a variety of communities have access to meaningful, nature-based experiences. By meeting participants where they are — in care facilities, community centers, and natural spaces — we aim to create programming that is both accessible and deeply enriching.
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To support long-term sustainability, KRLT is developing a comprehensive curriculum and printed materials that can be used by partner facilities, caregivers, and community leaders. These resources will help standardize activities, deepen the educational components of each program, and make it easier for local organizations to continue nature-based engagement on their own.
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Looking forward, KRLT also plans to train volunteers, interns, and emerging conservation leaders who can help carry out our mission across the watershed. By equipping them with the skills, tools, and confidence to guide activities and support seniors, we hope to build a strong network capable of delivering high-quality, nature-centered programming throughout Pierce and St. Croix County. Together, this growing community of supporters will help ensure that the benefits of nature, connection, and shared experiences continue to flourish for years to come.
“...after much thought, I decided to join (Golden Years Nature Club) because it would give me something to look forward to besides going home and being alone. Now that I’ve joined, I would strongly encourage other seniors to join as well!”
-GYNC Participant
This program is supported by
The Inclusa Foundation is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the health of Wisconsinites by building diverse and inclusive communities where all people live more connected lives through innovation, programs, and partnerships that impact overall health and well-being.