Going The Distance

Green River Preserve’s journey to connect kids with nature

Cordwood Cottage at GRP

"We have to go further" says Executive Director Missy Schenck of Green River Preserve (GRP), a 3,400 acre private wildlife preserve in Tuxedo NC. Before I tell you about where they are going next, let me first point out a few highlights that are #happeningnow. GRP was founded in 1987 as a nonprofit summer camp to connect kids with nature. Through their unique mentor program, campers hike each morning with naturalist guides. One tradition at camp called the "grand slam" includes seeing a bear, a venomous snake, a turkey, and a deer all on a single hike, a rarity which occurs only a handful of times a summer. In a world where it is estimated that 50% of kids born this year will never see the Milky Way (See our post Creating Awe at Camp), it really got me thinking how truly a unique nature experience this is for the kids. Not only does the site include the vast wildlife preserve, it also shares a border with DuPont State Forest, creating the perfect setting to witness a "grand slam"! From the start, GRP has been connecting kids with nature. They have created several outreach programs such as SEE, Muddy Sneakers and Kale.

SEE (School of Environmental Education) is a residential field trip program where schools travel to Green River Preserve for an educational experiences outside of the classroom.

Muddy Sneakers is a separate non-profit organization funded primarily through private donations, grants, and foundations, the outdoor education outreach to schools local to GRP. 5th grade programs from neighboring school counties spend 12 day-long trips connecting with nature in their own backyard.

KALE (Kids Agricultural Learning Experience) is a hands on learning experience based off of GRP's farm.

Even with these existing programs, GRP is still thinking about what is next. Conceived as a response to the proposed No Child Left Inside Act of 2013, "Camp to Go" is GRP's next outreach program.

Congress finds that “Children and young adults are increasingly disconnected from the natural world around them, spending less time outside playing, exploring, and learning. Play and learning in nature is important to the intellectual, social, and physical development of youth.” Read more at congress.gov.

With the No Child Left Inside Act back up for discussion in 2015, camps partnering with schools could become more critical than ever, creating a demand for programs such as Camp to Go. The Camp-School Partnership Survey, conducted by the ACA in 2010, found that there was still much room for improvements between camp and school partnerships. The study found that “Over 88 percent of the camps were not partnering with school districts on educational reform grants or programs, and 90 percent of the camps were not involved with any Title 1, Title 2, or Department of Education programs.” For more statistics, read the article here

While the most common partnership with schools includes a science based curriculum, the article continues to suggest that camps seek new ways to connect with schools, such as partnering with existing "Youth in Government" programs. This reminded me of programing at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. On a site visit last summer I got to see the Youth Conference on National Affairs in full swing.

This is a great example of programming that can be created at your camp to promote partnering with schools. Whether it is youth in government, hands on physics, or nature studies, there are variety of programming opportunities waiting to create lasting partnerships between schools and summer camps nationwide. At its core, camp is about youth development. Partnering with schools is yet another way that camps can positively impact today's youth.

Conservation What?... Conservation Easements and Summer Camps.

According to the American Camp Association, 1 in 5 camps have conservation easements in place. What is a conservation easement, you ask? A conservation easement is a way for camps to protect their property from unwanted future development. For many camps, their property was purchased nearly 100 years ago for a fraction of the value of the land today. This can pose a big problem for camps, as current land values can mean large property and estate taxes. Consequently, camp owners face unique challenges arising from the ownership of significant parcels of land.

One solution to this dilemma is a conservation easement. With a conservation easement, the property owner sells the development rights to a land conservancy. Crafted to suit the particular camp’s situation, this creates opportunities for camp owners. Here are several benefits of selling development rights.

Income Tax Savings: A for-profit camp can enjoy significant federal and state income tax savings from donating a conservation easement on portions of the camp property.

Transition and Estate Planning: Camp owners planning for the transition of the camp to their family’s next generation or planning for their estates can reduce the taxes involved in such transitions by incorporating a conservation easement.

Acquisition: conservation easements can be creatively implemented to facilitate the purchase of a camp property.

Disposition: If the sale of a camp for another use is required, planning for a conservation easement, along with a creative development concept can be an effective marketing tool which can help cultivate alumnae as potential buyers for personal or collective use.

Raise Capital: In some instances, federal, state or local money may be available to purchase conservation easements from camp owners.

Camp Protection: A conservation easement will stand to protect the environment in case camp property is ever sold.

Green River Preserve, near our offices in Brevard, NC, has over 2,600 acres in conservation easement standing. For Green River Preserve, their conservation easement greatly reduced their property and estate taxes, and they received cash from the State of North Carolina through its Clean Water Management Trust Fund and other funding sources due of the camp’s ecological value. And, best of all -- campers can continue to be campers, as if nothing has changed, according to Sandy Schenck, the founder of Green River Preserve.

What can a Conservation Easement do for your camp? Learn more from? The Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy here! (there are also similar conservancy groups in each state). Camps should consult with their legal and accounting teams before pursuing any conservation easements.

Going Going Gone Green

"Going green” is something that we have all heard, but what does it mean for your camp? Here are a few simple questions that can get your camp moving in the green direction…

First, does your camp have a 'green team'? Does your team include campers, counselors, program staff, or administrative staff?

Electricity
Were you raised in a barn?! Close the door and turn off the lights when you leave a building. Sounds simple, but it adds up. Try adding signage to remind campers and staff to turn off the lights.
• Are campers accountable for turning off the lights when cabins are not in use?
• Is there signage to remind people to turn off lights?
• Does your camp use CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs)?
• Do you regulate thermostat settings in all camp buildings?

Recycling/Composting
In case you haven’t heard, everything at camp is a competition. Start a zero food waste challenge between cabins or units to reduce the waste at camp.
• Does your camp have a recycling program?
• Does your camp have a composting program?
• Does your camp have a food waste program?

Water
Camps use a large amount of water but… that doesn't mean that you can't reduce water waste!) Low-flow showerheads and toilets can significantly reduce the amount of water used.
• Does your camp have auto on/off devices for faucets?
• Does your camp have low-flow toilets?
• Does your camp use low-flow showerheads?
• Does your collect rain water?
• Does your camp remind campers to turn off the water when they brush their teeth?
• Do you time campers' showers?
• Do you use waterless urinals or composting toilets?
• Could you use rooftop solar water heaters for the cabins?

Rooftop solar water heaters

In the Office
Is your registration process paperless? Save paper and filing time by moving towards electronic registration.
Are your parent/camper handbooks online?

Chances are good that you are already practicing many of these ideas. What’s your next step? Share with us in the comments below!

Gwynn Valley Camp: Sustainability at its Finest

Gwynn Valley Camp is located just south of Brevard, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  As the camp is renowned for its sustainability efforts, I was eager to see their green initiatives in action!  Anne and Grant Bullard, the two camp directors of Gwynn Valley, were kind enough to show me around the camp last week.  Anne and Grant have a strong passion for the outdoors, as well as for the intellectual growth of children, and these passions are evident throughout Gwynn Valley.  The rest of the staff comes from around the world – which makes for a diverse, inspiring atmosphere for the kids as they learn to develop appreciation for others as well as themselves.

Gwynn Valley's water mill supplies power all throughout camp.

The most visible sustainable initiative at Gwynn Valley is their historic water mill, which supplies energy to the camp.  Built in 1890, the mill is situated on the edge of a lake where a mountainside creek meets the lake.  The water running down from the mountains generates hydropower that is delivered to many of the camp buildings.

Four wood burners provide the camp with even more renewable energy.  The enticing scent of burning hickory and oak permeated the air throughout the camp – just an added bonus for being green!  Gwynn Valley uses these wood burners to heat up to 70% of their water.

Food production at Gwynn Valley Camp is also highly sustainable.  I was surprised to learn that Gwynn Valley grows up to 70% of their food on-site, including beef and eggs!  There is also a food mill that campers can use to grind corn into cornmeal – and better yet, to churn their own ice cream… YUM.  Currently Anne and Grant are searching for a solution for food waste disposal; they are exploring the option of using Black Soldier Fly Larvae to speed the food decomposition process – and afterwards, the nutrient-rich larvae can become a healthy meal for Gwynn Valley’s chickens.

Thoughtful design solutions, like the ones described above, were all throughout camp.  The walls of the horse barn were even designed to collapse to create winter storage areas for bikes and kayaks – simple, but clever.  And how could I forget the lightning detector?  Grant and Anne decided to invest in a lightning detector as a safety measure; this device can send a signal to the camp staff that alerts them when it is unsafe for outdoor activities.

The stable walls collapse,
enabling more storage.

My first visit was a success!
Thank you, Gwynn Valley!

Gwynn Valley Camp is clearly a place where the three pillars of sustainability (people, environment, and economy) come together. The camp offers a rewarding social experience for campers, earth-friendly initiatives that respect nature, and efficient practices that save time and money for the camp.  Learn more about Gwynn Valley Camp by visiting their website here!

- The Girl with the Red Umbrella