It Started With Two Park Rangers and a Simple Idea
Help kids fall in love with the nature before anyone asks them to save it.
The Story of Rugged Research
Rugged Research began as a dream shared by two park rangers who wanted to bring the magic of the wild to kids in a way that was real, playful, and full of discovery. After years of leading hikes, teaching science, and watching children light up when they spotted an elk, held a bug, or turned over a log, we realized something simple but profound:
Kids will protect what they love - and they fall in love through experience.
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We started Rugged Research with one guiding idea:
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Help kids fall in love with nature before anyone asks them to save it.
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What began on the trails of Colorado has grown into a movement of educators, explorers, and families helping children rediscover the wonder of the world around them.
Our programs blend curiosity-driven science, outdoor adventure, and mindful awareness. Each lesson is a chance to look closer, ask questions, and reconnect with the joy of learning from nature itself.
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We’re proud to see Rugged Research branches spreading across the country, each one shaped by local ecosystems and the people who care for them. Together, we’re building something much bigger than a program - we’re growing a living network of educators who believe that joy and wonder can change the world.
​​As Rugged Research grows, our goal remains the same as it was on those early ranger walks: to help every child know nature not as scenery, but as something they are apart of.
Meet the Founders
Bri Weiland
Co-Founder & Director of Education
Bri is a former park ranger and science teacher who’s led students through rainforests, deserts, and coral reefs - from Costa Rica to Hawaii to the Colorado Rockies she now calls home. With a Master’s in Education and years spent teaching in Colorado classrooms, Bri brings a rare blend of curiosity, compassion, and real-world experience to everything Rugged Research does. Her joy comes from helping kids feel that spark of wonder when they discover something wild and alive for the first time.
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“Kids remember how you make them feel about nature and that’s where real learning begins.”
Jesse Weiland
Co-Founder & Director
Jesse’s path to Rugged Research began as a park ranger and field scientist chasing curiosity around the world - from studying chimpanzees in Africa to researching bumble bees in New Jersey and guiding ecology tours in Hawaii. After earning his Master’s in Environmental Science and working for the National Park Service, he realized that his favorite part of science wasn’t collecting data - it was watching kids light up with discovery. That realization sparked Rugged Research, a way to bring the magic of exploration and science back to the next generation.
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“Our curriculum has two rules: stay curious and don’t feed the raccoons.”
What We Stand For
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Nature is the best classroom.
It’s where questions come alive, and curiosity leads the way.
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Curiosity is our compass.
We don’t hand out answers - we explore until we find them.
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Wonder, science, and play go hand in hand.
Because joy and discovery belong on the same trail.
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Every program begins with the world outside your door.
From backyard bugs to mountain peaks - that’s where learning happens.
Our Impact
Making Eco-Ed accessible to all
Part of our mission is to bring nature education - and all of its benefits - to students from all walks of life.
Thanks to generous grants, scholarships, and donations from families, we’ve provided $74,718 worth of free eco-education programs to students who otherwise wouldn’t have access.
We’re proud of this milestone and even more excited to keep growing access to nature-based learning in underserved communities.