We’re In The Big Leagues Now

June 24, 2025 I By Katie Cox, Executive Director

Happy Summer,

Have you been to Pine Street Woods in the last week? If so, I am certain that you have heard the voices of small humans playing in the forest. As summer season begins and camps start up for our education department, I am reminded that a lot more than lesson writing and food planning went into our preparations this year. 

Thinking back to our first camps during the Summer of 2017, they were a fraction of the size but still bursting with the same energy and intention of learning as they are today.  I was a parent dropping off kids in 2017, remotely connected to Kaniksu Land Trust at the time. It was probably the first KLT experience that started my little love affair with this organization.  

My kids came back thoroughly worn out from a day of games, plant identification, fort making and wild discovery. At the time we didn’t have Pine Street Woods, so all this fun took place on the University of Idaho Boyer property. That camp probably hosted a total of 20 kids.

Now, Camp Kaniksu has a roster of 150 kids every summer and our education program that happens 365 days a year serves over 1,000 children. Some could say we are in the big leagues. 

Part of growing is also making sure we constantly seek to improve as well as to be as prepared as possible for whatever the combination of nature and kids might bring.  

Last winter our education department dove deep into updating our Education Policy and Procedures Manual. This may sound like dull work to you, but for our education department it was the next step to grow our program and ensure that our staff are supported every moment while in the field.  It was also important to ensure through this process that our ethos was still guided by nature and the moment. I think this opening explanation in our manual is a beautiful reflection of our program: 

At Kaniksu Land Trust, we strive to open up the natural world through outdoor activities, bringing forth opportunities for exploration, learning, and growth. Central to this mission is our understanding and acceptance of risk. We acknowledge that every adventurous journey in nature comes with certain inherent risks, whether it's a minor injury or dealing with unexpected weather conditions. These are not deterrents, but rather crucial aspects that shape our programs and the experiences we offer. The very essence and value of these outdoor activities lies in navigating through uncertainty and finding resilience, courage, and wisdom along the way.

So my reminder to each of you this summer? Keep exploring, learning and growing. And, remember “When thunder roars, go indoors”.

Keep exploring like a 9 year old summer camper,

Katie