Fostering Environmental Courage: Vincent LaFontan and Flanders Nature Center’s Approach to Climate Action and Sustainability Education

by | 6 September, 2025 | Climate Change, Curriculum Practice, Natural World Sustainability

Guiding Principles influence change for sustainability practices to take hold. Effective Leadership, Vision and a receptive community are ingredients for climate change mitigation.

What is Vincent LaFontan’s concept of Environmental Courage?

Vincent LaFontan describes Environmental Courage as a new form of intelligence necessary to cope with a changing climate and the growing anxieties it produces. In a 2022 LinkedIn article, he lays out the concept as a strategy for addressing feelings of helplessness and gloom related to environmental issues, which he argues can lead to denial or depression. 

Core components of Environmental Courage

LaFontan’s concept involves: 

  • Accepting the reality of change: Environmental Courage requires people to “appropriately interpret, filter, digest and accept the information emerging about our changing world,” rather than avoiding or denying it.
  • A “new intelligence”: He posits that this mental capacity to live with a changing world must be developed in children and strengthened in society as a whole. It moves beyond simply stating scientific facts to an ability to adapt to a new reality.
  • Combating feelings of doom: LaFontan sees the concept as a “remedy” for despair, providing a positive framework for action instead of allowing people to feel overwhelmed by the negative news.
  • Taking positive action: Rather than being passive, Environmental Courage equips people with the strength to take constructive steps, such as slowing or preventing damage to the natural world. 

Implementation at 

Flanders Nature Center

As the Executive Director of the 

Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust

, LaFontan and his team work to put this concept into practice. 

  • Educational programming: Flanders’ programs aim to build the community’s knowledge and understanding of the environment and its challenges.
  • Strengthening the community: The center pledges to “model environmental courage, exemplify environmental courage and build environmental courage—in all those who participate”.
  • Inspiring action: The center’s mission is to inspire lifelong learning and encourage the community to do what it can in a time of climate change. 

 

More about Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust

Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust is a non-profit organization located in Woodbury, Connecticut, USA is dedicated to preserving open space and providing environmental education. Founded in 1963, it has grown to protect over 2,400 acres across Woodbury and surrounding towns. 

History

  • Early years: The organization was formally chartered in 1963. Its initial programs for children and adults began taking shape with the help of volunteers from the Junior League. It’s original incorporator and donor was Natalie Van Vleck.
  • Growth into a land trust: Flanders became one of the area’s first land trusts in 1973 after receiving its first land donation.

Mission and properties

  • Mission: The center’s mission is to provide opportunities to appreciate nature’s wonders, preserve land, and inspire lifelong learning about the natural world.
  • Properties: Flanders holds conservation easements on 56 properties totaling over 2,400 acres. Its seven preserves and sanctuaries offer diverse landscapes for hiking and other passive recreation.

Programs and activities

Flanders offers a wide variety of programs to thousands of people of all ages, with trails open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. 

  • Education: Early Childhood programs and Field-based programs aligned with Next Generation Science Standards are available for Pre K–5 students. Other offerings include summer camps, after-school programs, and classes in nature and art.
  • Recreation: The public can enjoy hiking, cross-country skiing, and wildlife observation on the center’s trails for free.
  • Events: The center hosts a range of events, including goat yoga, foraging workshops, and a summer soirée.
  • Community engagement: Flanders runs a 4-H club, photography club, and hosts scouting programs.
  • Farm experiences: The Van Vleck farm provides opportunities for hands-on learning, including live farm animals, Bee Keeping and maple sugaring. 

Accessibility and funding

  • Accessibility: The center is committed to improving accessibility, with recent upgrades including ADA-compliant bathrooms and an accessible trail at the Van Vleck campus.
  • Funding: As a non-profit, Flanders relies on donations, memberships, and grants to support its conservation and educational initiatives. The organization is guided by Executive Director Vincent LaFontan.

 

 

How does LaFontan’s view of environmental issues influence Flanders Nature Center’s programs?

Vincent LaFontan’s concept of “Environmental Courage” significantly influences the programs at Flanders Nature Center by framing environmental education not around fear and doom, but around empowerment and positive, constructive action

. This approach encourages the community to become informed and active stewards of the natural world, rather than feeling overwhelmed by environmental challenges. 

Emphasis on education and empowerment

Flanders’ programs build “Environmental Courage” by equipping people with knowledge and practical skills. 

  • Focus on understanding: Educational programs are designed to help the community “strive to be aware of those factors, understand them, and describe them” that are impacting the environment.
  • Best practices for action: Flanders shares “best practices that can equip our community to take action to slow or prevent the assault on the natural world”. This includes focusing on things like forest management, pollinator health, invasive species management, and sustainable energy. 

Examples in programming

LaFontan’s philosophy is explicitly stated in the center’s messaging and visible in its programs for children, families, and adults. 

  • Youth leadership: The Environmental Youth Leadership (EYL) program for middle schoolers focuses on building “future earth stewards” by exploring habitats, observing wildlife, and connecting biological concepts to current environmental issues.
  • Summer camp: Flanders’ summer camps for younger children, like the “Outdoor Adventures” program, are designed to help them find their role in protecting the environment in a fun, hands-on way.
  • Capital improvements: The center’s capital campaign, overseen by LaFontan, highlights the importance of strengthening the community’s “environmental courage” during a time of climate change. This includes projects like new pavilions with solar panels to provide sustainable energy.
  • Interactive exhibits: Events and field trips, such as learning about maple sugaring or visiting the farm, directly connect participants to nature. The educational component often extends to discussing how farm production is affected by weather and climate conditions. 

Community-centric approach

Rather than just providing information, Flanders’ programs aim to be a community resource that reflects the needs of a changing and inclusive society. This encourages collective, rather than individual, resilience in the face of environmental issues. 

  • Community engagement: Flanders actively collaborates with other organizations to offer programs and events that build community bonds, reflecting the idea that collaboration is a core tenet of building environmental courage.
  • Accessibility and inclusivity: LaFontan’s background in after-school programs and social services informs an approach that emphasizes making environmental education accessible to all ages and backgrounds.