Conservation Camps

2024 Nature Explorers Summer Camp

 Nature Explorers Camp is all about getting your child outside for a hands-on exploration of nature at BREC’s Palomino Drive Park. Campers will explore the campus, learn new things, and enjoy the great outdoors. Age-specific activities are designed to keep your camper engaged, learning, and having a blast all week long. These will include themed outdoor games, fishing, hiking, crafts, and experiments.

We also offer a week-long Counselors in Training program so that your young adult can learn about becoming a natural resource professional while getting job training and experience. Additionally, we offer Expedition weeks for the campers looking to take their explorations to the next level. We have programs for your Nature Explorers from age 7 to 17. 

Counselors in Training: Naturalist Workshop

This week teens will take their nature interests to the next level. We will cover leadership skills, education program planning, careers skills and options in natural resources and other science fields, camper management, networking, and more! Once completing this week, teens have the option of assisting with camp throughout the summer for additional experience.
May 28-31 / Ages: 14-17

Ecosystem Explorations

Ecosystem Exploration sessions will break down the natural world through exploration and play. Campers will learn about nature’s functions and the different ecosystems and the organisms within them. They will adventure into swamps, forests, and rivers; hiking, splashing, and investigating the who, what, and how of local habitats. No bug, fish, bird, or fungus is off-limits in this wild exploration of native Louisiana Ecosystems.
Session 1: June 3-7 / Ages: 7-10 
Session 2: June 10-14 / Ages: 10-13 

Expedition Week: Wilderness Survival Adventure

Ever wonder what it would be like to rough it in the wild? This week we dive headfirst into survival techniques, skills, and knowledge that you would need to survive in the wilderness. Follow us on this adventure where we will paddle, fish, hike and explore what it would be like to survive in the wild.
Session 4: June 24-28 / Ages: 10-13

Expedition Week: Expedition Frenchtown

The mission: explore BREC’S largest conservation area. The objective: Spend an entire week at the new Frenchtown education building helping our camp staff discover the secrets of the park. Each day of the week will focus on a different aspect of the park (water, plants, animals, etc.) culminating in a mini Bioblitz on Friday! If you are interested in conservation or nature, come join us as we learn how to find our way on and off the trail, see what calls the park home, learn collection and research skills, and generally go where few have gone before!
Session 6: July 8-12 / Ages: 14-17

Expedition Week: Curious Creatures

Resurrecting frogs, invisible insects, immortal jellyfish, supersonic shrimp, glowing sharks? The world is full of curious creatures, and these are only the ones we know about. Join us this week for a look at the cool, creepy, amazing, wonderful world of animals. We will take a close look at the captivating creatures that have been found on earth and even investigate the cryptid beasts of lore and legend that still perplex researchers to this day.
Session 3: June 17-21 / Ages: 7-10 
Session 8: July 22-26 / Ages: 10-13

Wild Louisiana

What are cypress knees? What is the Cajun name for a bullfrog? Is the Rougarou or the Fifolet based on natural phenomena? Louisiana is known for its culture, but its wildlife is even more spectacular. Join us for a week delving into all aspects of Louisiana’s natural world. We will explore all plants, animals, and ecosystems that make Louisiana wild! 
Session 7: July 15-19 / Ages: 7-10

Expedition Week: A Bug’s Life

What’s small and crawls and is fun to hunt for? Bugs! Join us for a week focused on the insect world where we will be digging in the dirt and swinging nets through the air in our search for bugs. We will explore sampling techniques and spend a moment in their buzzing, flying, crawling world as we learn all about the lives of insects and spiders.
Session 9: July 29-Aug. 2 / Ages: 7-10