Learn Landscape Literacy With Me

I bring landscape literacy to life through engaging presentations, interactive workshops, and guided outdoor experiences. Whether you're hosting a library program, conference, community event, classroom, or hike, I help audiences read the landscape, see places differently, and develop a deeper connection to the world around them.

What I Offer

Talks and Presentations

I give 1-2 hour talks on a range of subjects from how to plan a Lake Superior Circle Tour with meaning to the history and significance of treaties in the Great Lakes.

*In-person and virtual options available

I offer half, full, and multi-day workshops on landscape literacy and a range of other subjects (inquire for more details).

*In-person and virtual options available

Workshops

Guided Experiences

I plan and lead half-day and full-day experiences focused on learning and practicing landscape literacy.

Interested in learning more?

Featured Destinations

Meet the Outdoors Historian

I'm Emily Macgillivray, PhD, and I created The Outdoors Historian because I believe the best trips don't just take us somewhere new—they help us see the world differently. As a historian and educator, I've spent years exploring how geology, ecology, history, and culture shape the places we visit. Today, I help curious travelers uncover those stories and experience landscapes with greater understanding and intention.

I call this reading the landscape. When we learn to notice the layers of a place—from ancient rock formations to Indigenous histories and living ecosystems—we don't just travel farther. We travel deeper.

Lake Superior is the perfect place to begin. Its remarkable landscapes are filled with stories waiting to be discovered, and I hope my articles, guides, and personalized planning services inspire you to explore this extraordinary region with fresh eyes.

The Outdoors Historian

Helping you read the landscape.

So you can see places differently.