Nature’s Classroom summer camp
FOX 13’s Joe Vazquez takes us to the wildlife summer camp that gives students a chance to experience Florida animals up close and personal.
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THONOTOSASSA, Fla. – Tucked away down a dirt road off of Morris Bridge Road is a special preserve owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. But it is known for being the Hillsborough County classroom that connects school kids to nature.
It’s called Nature’s Classroom, and it provides a hands-on environmental class for all sixth grade students in Hillsborough County.
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“If you were a student in Hillsborough County since 1969, you know of Nature’s Classroom,” admitted Karen Johnson. She’s the coordinator for the venue. “We’ve been here over 50 years doing what we do, taking students outside.”
Nature’s Classroom provides a hands-on environmental class for all sixth grade students in Hillsborough County. <!–>
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The goal is to give Hillsborough County students an introduction to forest and river animals to help encourage learning and to alleviate their fears of the wild.
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Meeting that goal is a daily thing, said Johnson, “Having them experience the real world around them and building connections with them and their surroundings.”
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It’s not just a walk in the woods. The kids are exposed to very intentional lessons on Florida Wildlife by interacting with that wildlife in nature.
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“This area is for our animals that need forever homes,” said Johnson about the animals. “So they’re non-releasable to the wild either because they were injured, orphaned or were nuisance animals that had to be trapped.”
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That last part is an important lesson for kids who aren’t used to encountering wildlife.
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Feeding wild animals causes them to lose their natural fear of humans, which leads to them needing to be either trapped and removed to a facility like this, or, sadly, euthanized.
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“Alligator was an animal that was in a pond in a local community and got a little too close to the people, and it needed to be trapped,” shared Johnson, “So we are giving it his forever home now.”
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Nature’s Classroom provides a hands-on environmental class for all sixth grade students in Hillsborough County. <!–>
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The venue is open this summer for kids to enjoy camp.
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You can learn more about Nature’s Classroom on their website.
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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Joe Vazquez.
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