How LandPaths Gets Ready for Summer Nature Camp Season
Category: Blog, Bohemia Ecological Preserve, LandPaths Preserves, Nature Camp, Owl Camp, Rooting Youth in Nature, Staff, Volunteer
By LandPaths Staff
June 24, 2024
The morning sun peeks through the coastal clouds, birds caw and sing from their perches in the surrounding oaks, and 40 LandPaths’ staff and volunteers gather in the meadow at Bohemia Ecological Preserve for a daylong training to prep for the upcoming summer camp season.
The day begins with introductions, followed by a tutorial on classic camp songs, like Audubon Zoo, with O.G. Owl Camp volunteer Richard “Mapache” Baril, who plays guitar with a flourish.
After that, it’s time to practice (play :)) a few rounds of the nature games Park Ranger and Predator/Prey, which are great for warming up campers at the beginning of the day.
Many of the volunteers at the training are teens and lots of them are former Owl Campers. Cassidy, age 15, decided to volunteer this summer after enjoying the apprentice experience at Owl Camp, which she’s attended since the age of 6.
“I’m excited for all of the campers that are going to come out here and learn how to be stewards of nature,” says Cassidy. “Owl Camp was very important to my summers, especially being able to spend the whole day outside – and I wanted to give that experience to others, and hopefully help them foster curiosity and wanting to take of the land.”
With the sound of Dutch Bill creek gurgling in the background, everyone sits down in the comforting shade of the redwoods for a review of LandPaths’ mission and values and how these guide our approach to nature camp.
After a short hike and lunch, which includes a lesson on “garbology” aka how to reduce waste and sort lunch trash into landfill, recycling, and compost, the group reviews camper safety guidelines, including water rules, trail etiquette, and camp teen leader agreements. And then, a dip in the pond!
We can’t say enough about how much we appreciate our summer camp volunteers! You make these wonderful outdoor experiences possible and help us root even more Sonoma County youth in nature!
Click on the image below to see an Instagram reel that captures the spirit of the day!
Cassidy, Owl Camp Volunteer, Age 15
" Owl Camp was very important to my summers, especially being able to spend the whole day outside – and I wanted to give that experience to others, and hopefully help them foster curiosity and wanting to take of the land. "
