By Nathan Zabel, NSEA Education Program Manager
This summer, NSEA welcomed back 4-6 year old campers, and our campus was once again filled with laughter, singing, dancing, and excitement. Camp Keystone celebrated its third year, and first year as a state licensed, outdoor nature-based program. For both returning campers and those we met for the first time this summer, we enjoyed another summer of learning about salmon, a keystone species so important to our region.
Camp Keystone ran for 10 weeks from June through August and featured 10 different ecological themes, all rooted in salmon education and place-based outdoor learning. New themes such as “Salish Sea” connected campers to the marine world salmon swim in while familiar themes such as “Whatcom Watersheds” brought campers from the top of Mt. Baker to the depths of Bellingham Bay. We started each day with a salmon circle, which included a land acknowledgment, salmon yoga, and salmon songs! Campers learned through movement and music the stages of the lifecycle and the habitats salmon rely on for survival, while thanking our Indigenous neighbors for caring for the land since time immemorial. They left each week showcasing their ability to name all 5 species of Pacific salmon using their hands.
Each week featured a field trip where campers visited a property located in the forest along Tenmile Creek. There, they got to look for salmon fry in the moving water of the creek, stand next to a beaver dam, and play hide and seek among the tall trees.
We are thrilled that almost every week of camp was full. This year was our first year as a licensed program, which opened up access to subsidies for families and allowed us to take one more step to increase accessibility to our Whatcom County community. We are happy to hear how meaningful Camp Keystone was for these campers and their families. One parent said, “Everyday my child came home and shared what they learned. I was amazed with how much he absorbed and could articulate to me. The topics were both fun and engaging but cultural and place based. Thank you for such awareness in your program!” Camp Keystone provided an avenue for youth to play, grow, and explore in the outdoors, while sparking a lifelong learning and compassion for the environment and salmon.
Registration for next summer will open on February 1st – look for more information at n-sea.org/camp-keystone or contact Nathan Zabel at nzabel@n-sea.org.