Outdoor School

Back in Oregon, there is a camp that I went to for thirteen years called Camp Namanu. Camp Namanu host this program called Outdoor School, which is run by a non-profit organization. Outdoor School (ODS) is the opportunities for four classes of sixth graders from different schools around the Portland Public School district come to a camp to learn about the environment hands on. The students’ stay there for a week and the camp brings in a group of high school volunteers to be counselors and teachers to the students. The students get to learn four different areas: soil, plants, animals and water. The students spend the entire day outside in the forest, learning hands on about evaporation, arthropods, and numerous other subjects. The most magical experiences I’ve had with the non-human world have occurred at Camp Namanu during Outdoor School. Outdoor school does not allow any electronic devices, so you spend the entire week being away from school, electronics, and magazines. Every night the entire camp gets together and they host a big bon fire outside. The counselors run the bonfire and they perform songs and skits for the group. I felt a really strong connection to nature when I was there, because I didn’t use any electronic devices. I participated in the ODS program six times.

Every day at ODS I led students on a hike around the camp. Camp Namanu has over 600 acres of land covered in forest, so it is the perfect place to do some sight seeing for animals. One day I saw a bear. I think that is one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve ever seen, because a bear is so powerful and big. I never thought I would see one in its natural environment. I also saw numerous birds like eagles and hawks. I saw deer and elk. I have seen moles and foxes. I always had a really fun time tracking animal prints around the camp.

I think it is important to save nature. We have to save the environment, its all we have. I have no question in my mind that this one of the most important things of my time. However that doesn’t mean that we have the right tools to go about saving nature. We have some technology that can help, but we have no systems of government that are willing to step in that direction. The UN has been very ineffective when it comes to environmental problems, besides with Ozone depletion. Saving nature is going to a difficult challenge because most countries do not put this as a priority. The Bush administration did not think the environment was an important agenda concern. President Obama has put the environment as an important policy, but Cap and Trade is being trumped by the Healthcare debate. So I do believe that we have to save nature, I just don’t know if the world is going to be able to get together and do something about it.

-Tracey Swan