Welcome to the new column from the Camp Long Environmental Learning Center, your center for outdoor recreation and environmental information. It comes to you from the Associated Recreation Council and Seattle Parks and Recreation.

If you are new to the park, Camp Long was created for the purpose of bringing people close to nature and providing safe and enjoyable outdoor camping and climbing experiences.

Camp Long's 68 acres and unique recreation features offer visitors the opportunity to explore nature, hike, camp overnight in rustic cabins, rock climb, and investigate the environment.

The vision of the Environmental Learning Center staff is to offer creative, awe-inspiring and joyful opportunities for everyone in the community to experience and learn about nature; and to promote understanding and appreciation of our environment, therefore promoting environmental stewardship. We want to:

. Teach a conservation ethic

. Emphasize outreach to all communities

. Nurture a spirit of civic responsibility regarding the natural environment

. Provide interpretive programming to foster public education and understanding of natural systems

. Develop environmental stewardship information and programs

During the next few weeks, I will introduce you to our programs, our partners, and our opportunities in West Seattle to participate in activities outdoors. We will also share with you some of the natural history of West Seattle through our naturalists and other writers and artists.

Please visit our web site at http://www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/camplong.htm to find out more about our lodge, cabins, climbing rock, and trails. Also take a look at our brochure programs for Camp Long and the other Parks Environmental Learning Centers at http://www.seattle.gov/parks /environment/brochures/Fall07.pdf . The Camp Long center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, so please stop by. We're located between Brandon and Hudson Streets on the east side of 35 th Ave. SW.

Please send ideas for the column to:

Sheila Brown

Camplong@seattle.gov

Education Program Supervisor

684-7415 Tues - Sat 10 am to 6 pm

Environmental Learning Centers

Seattle Parks and Recreation

5200 - 35th Avenue SW

Seattle, WA 98106

"Seattle Parks and Recreation will work with all citizens to be good stewards of our environment, and to provide safe and welcoming opportunities to play, learn, contemplate and build community." http://www.seattle.gov/parks