Take A Peek at PEAK In Action

Tarpon Springs, FL.  Take a look at this video, shot at an elementary school in Florida earlier this week.  Kate leads a lesson on leave no trace using the PEAK Program.  PEAK- Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids- is an interactive, engaging program designed to educate youth about responsible recreation and land stewardship.  It is clear to see how much fun PEAK can be!  For more information about PEAK, check out www.lnt.org/programs/peak  

Respect the Resource...Kate and Tracy

Kicking Off Summer Camp Season In PA

School is out and it is time for summer camps to get rolling. We made our first visit to camp in Reading, PA to work with a dynamic group of teenagers attending an Environmental Leadership Camp at Alvernia University. This group was getting ready to head to Camp Joy for an overnight camping trip, so our timing was spot on. We discussed ways the teens could incorportate Leave No Trace into their outing. After a round of Minimum Impact Match, we challenged the group to a game of Leave No Trace Jeopardy. This provided a great opportunity to discuss the theory of Leave No Trace before they head out in the field to put it into practice. We wish all the best to future leaders in the environmental field.

Happy Adventuring...Kate and Tracy

Two of a Kind

This week we wrapped up our tour of the east coast with a few summer camp events. First we headed to Massachusetts to work with the Metropolis of Boston Camp. We spoke with campers about the importance of Leave No Trace and encouraged a little friendly competition with one of our favorite activities from the PEAK Pack, Step On It-the Feud. Campers put their Leave No Trace prowess to the test as we quizzed them on the topics of litter, wildlife, and durable surfaces!

Next, we drove south to meet up with campers at Black Bear Lake Day Camp in New Jersey. We presented seven 45-minute workshops and were able to cover a wide range of Leave No Trace topics. Our favorite part of the day was a discussion we had with campers about wildlife. During the activity (which you can find in 101 Ways to Teach Leave No Trace) campers had the chance to play the role of local wildlife (black bears, snakes, squirrels and deer), which led to a great conversation about the effect that human behavior can have on wildlife.

All combined, we spoke with over 200 campers! Not a bad way to end an incredible journey through New England.

Manice Education Center and one Red Eft

Yesterday we headed to the Berkshire Mountains to work with a great group of outdoor educators at the Manice Education Center in Florida, MA. Manice Education Center offers urban teens a variety of courses in environmental education and wilderness leadership. Students spend up to 11-days on wilderness courses, where they can study local ecology, discuss current environmental issues and learn backcountry camping and traveling skills. We were excited to share some of our favorite Leave No Trace activities (straight from our Teen and PEAK Packs) with the instructors and hope that they will have success sharing these activities with their students this summer.


After our presentation, we headed outside and saw a Red Eft swimming in the lake at Manice Education Center. Then this morning we went for a short hike and spied this little guy sitting on the trail.

Successfully PEAKing interest at REI

Throughout our travels in New Mexico and Texas, we have had the opportunity to provide PEAK (Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids)  training to six different REI stores.  In 2001, REI partnered up with the Center to develop a program to introduce the Leave No Trace principles to youth in a fun and interactive manner.  Through the generous support of REI, the PEAK Program is able to reach over 100,000 kids annually!  Click here to find out how you can get your hands on a PEAK Pack to inspire the children in your life to become lifelong stewards of the land.

Safe Travels...Kate and Tracy