How do we rethink nature education programs to ensure that they are effective in highly contextual settings? How do we foster children’s connection with nature using pedagogies rooted in the place they come from? How do we embed local leadership and establish collaborative networks that are inclusive of important cultural institutions? Exploring these questions through a place-based nature education program in Changlangshu, Nagaland, we document and share insights on site-level program building by establishing long-term leadership and incorporating locally relevant engagement models.