TOMAHAWK, Wis. – The Plum Creek Foundation recently awarded a $1,000 grant to Camp Forest Springs to help fund construction of an outdoor classroom and bridge renovation for its “Wet and Wild” pond ecology program.
Camp Forest Springs hosts hands-on nature education classes for school groups and youth camps. As part of the Wet and Wild pond ecology program, students wade into a lake and use aquatic collecting nets to catch and inspect crayfish, minnows, insects and frogs.
The class has been previously taught from a bridge that is shared with bicyclists and hikers. However, according to Pat Petkau, executive director, sharing the bridge with other groups can be distracting for the students. Camp Forest Springs will use the grant money to construct an outdoor classroom with seating for 25 students. The organization will also improve the surface of the shared bridge to make it safer for all users.
“An outdoor classroom will help make this hands-on program even more engaging for participants,” said Petkau. “Thanks to the help of the Plum Creek Foundation, we can continue to offer this interactive, fun learning experience for our visitors.”
The organization plans to complete the bridge upgrade and outdoor classroom construction in June.
Camp Forest Springs provides various programs, camps and events for families, school groups and youth. For more information, visit www.campforestsprings.org.
The mission of the Plum Creek Foundation is to provide philanthropic contributions to support and improve the general welfare of life in the communities that Plum Creek serves. The Foundation board meets quarterly to review applications submitted from organizations in the company’s operating communities. Visit the Community Involvement page on Plum Creek’s website at www.plumcreek.com to download an application.
