A Kid’s Eco Program: IslandWood at Bainbridge Island
IslandWood is a very different kind of camp. Located inside a 255-acre nature preserve in Bainbridge Island, Washington, this environmental learning center was Washington state’s first LEED Gold project.
What’s so special about it? Visitors can explore a bog, marsh, pond, stream, large ravine with suspension bridge, and a harbor — all among a beautiful second-growth forest with lots of plant and animal life.
The buildings at the six-acre, 18-building campus are designed to be extremely earth-friendly and to blend with the environment as much as possible. Features include composting toilets (they don’t stink!) and photovoltaic roof panels (a solar technology).
IslandWood provides comfortable indoor areas for kids to explore when they aren’t outside.
IslandWood is too wondrous to describe in a single blog post. To see some great photos of the structures, including a true tree house, visit this Metropolis article.
During the school year, the learning center focuses on their four-day overnight programs for 4-6 grade students in the Puget Sound area, but in the spring and summer various programs are available for kids of all ages.
Three-hour IslandWood tours are also offered. If you are going to be in the area, IslandWood is a 35-minute ferry ride from Seattle, WA.
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POSTED IN: Eco Youth, Grow Green Kids, Nature, Youth Activity
7 opinions for A Kid’s Eco Program: IslandWood at Bainbridge Island
Jennifer
Feb 16, 2008 at 12:21 pm
That treehouse rocks! I have to show that at Offbeat. I remember that I used to get National Geographic for kids (as a kid) and there was a bio-dome camp where kids could go stay for a week or two (maybe a summer?) and learn how to grow their own food, build shelter, etc. But everything was in the dome. It was crazy neat. I wanted to go sooooo bad. I wish I could remember the name; that’ll learn me to keep my magazines from when I was small.
Peggy
Feb 16, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I’m glad you like it. That would make a good offbeat post. I read that the tree would live for 50 years like that.
Michael brought home Metropolis magazine from work, and it was the green issue! Bainbridge had gotten an award, so they wrote about it. Really cool place and a good concept.
Jennifer
Feb 16, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Metropolis is one of my favorite magazines - but I don’t subscribe, and don’t always have time to read it at the library or online. I missed the green issue entirely. Is Michael an architect? Or a designer?
Peggy
Feb 16, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Jennifer,
Michael is a graphic designer or art director, whatever you want to call it. His department subscribes to and shares a few different mags, and I guess they find architectural magazines interesting.
Island Wood Structures
Feb 16, 2008 at 3:25 pm
[…] over at Tree Hugging Family, did this killer post about IslandWood at Bainbridge Island. The whole article is worth a read - it’s an environmental learning center and Washington […]
Carole
Aug 2, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Greetings,
Just heard about your Camp this past week while working with youth at another camp. It was suggested to me that I contact your group to see how one might become part of your group and share my passion for “arts & crafts” using the bounty of gifts from “mother nature”. Look forward to a response. Sincere appreciation, Carole
Peggy
Aug 3, 2008 at 11:33 am
Carole, Please contact info@islandwood.org
for more information. We are not affiliated with this camp. Thanks.
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