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Atop a green grassy hill overlooking a forest with water below. Mountains off in the distance.
Pleasant Valley, Lenox © Nicole Marcotte

Berkshire Nature Camp Finishes First Summer at Wild Acres in Pittsfield

September 20, 2023

This summer, thirty-three students attended a new kind of Berkshires Nature Camp. Our counselors brought camp programming to Wild Acres Park in Pittsfield, where we hosted adventures and lessons on the great outdoors. 

Camper inspecting a sample of pond water and fauna in a bin

Exploring the Nature of Wild Acres Park

The 5-week program aimed to make nature more accessible to all by offering a tuition-free camp, complete with transportation options and meals provided. 

Campers, counselors, and Mass Audubon staff were excited to explore their new home at city-owned Wild Acres Park. Not only was there a beautiful trail around the pond for easy access to nature, but the pavilion, accessible bathrooms, and small cabin for education programs met all their needs in this summer of variable weather.  

Wild Acres’ forests, meadows, pond, wetlands, and small stream were just the right size for the young campers to engage in all their favorite activities, including ponding, birdwatching, nature crafts, and playing games in the field.  

Most notable were the young people who were at first uncomfortable touching bugs, toads, and “creepy” creatures. By the end of their camp experience, many became fearless as they observed and became familiar with these small creatures.  

Expanding Our Summer Offerings in 2024

We have learned so much this season about working with the Morningside and Westside families, including how helpful translated materials and translation services were throughout the registration process and camp season. As we prepare for next summer, increasing this kind of support will be paramount in our launch of the next camp season.  

We look forward to building on the relationships and successes of this past year so that we can celebrate another summer of learning and discovery in 2024.  Next summer, we’re aiming to increase our reach and offer affordable, accessible nature camp experiences to 60 young people in the Pittsfield area.   

Support Increasing Access to Nature Camp

This camp program is made possible by individual donors, generous funders, and sponsors.  

Many thanks to those that funded this summer’s life-changing experiences for Pittsfield’s young campers: City of Pittsfield ARPA (American Rescue Plan) Grant Program, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Lee Bank Foundation, and Hoffmann Bird Club. 

You can send kids to camp too! Donate today to ensure more children can attend Berkshire Nature Camp next summer.  

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