Early 2018 brought the last checkmarks to our Education and Camp Barn punch list. With the building completed, we installed two garden beds, a tree border, bird feeders, and an accessible walkway. Inside, staff artists painted animal tracks on the floor and scat examples on the restroom walls. Child artists contributed to a nature peace pole that welcomes visitors in four languages.

During our 54th Fern and Feather Nature Camp season almost 400 campers, (4-16) and ten young adults (16-25) participated in camp activities. Seventeen families were supported with scholarship funds that allowed 24 kids to attend our camp.

Our Education team has been making great progress to launch our new Fern and Feather Preschool and state licensure paperwork was submitted to the Office of Early Education and Care in December 2018. In the New Year, the 42 families on our waitlist and the community will be invited to open houses, and registrations will begin this spring ahead of our school opening in September 2019. Our website has more information about our Nature Preschool.

The Education and Camp Barn has also been a gathering place to develop and strengthen our community partnerships. Event and educational collaborations included a MV Donor’s Collaborative training, an Art Show and Benefit with Old Sculpin Gallery, school vacation week programs for kids, concerts, volunteer events and a Climate Education training with 31 professionals from 20 organizations.