First — Luckie sends three pix from the Arts-in-Nature Festival‘s second and final day at Camp Long today, before the deluge:

Luckie was up on Schurman Rock to get that photo of the dome set up as part of the Nature Consortium‘s annual extravaganza. Next, kids working on, well, art in nature:

Final pic – an unwelcome guest at the festival – Luckie says a Camp Long naturalist found it in one of the park ponds and told her that “it’s a non-native species that is partly responsible for driving out the native frogs. Nobody knows how it got there—possibly, someone slipped it into the pond. The naturalist noted that releasing a non-native species such as this one opens a Pandora’s box of possibilities, which are seldom good”:

The Nature Consortium does a lot more than put on this festival; restoring the West Duwamish Greenbelt is its main mission, and you can join the effort in a work party almost every weekend (watch the West Seattle Weekend Lineup and greenseattle.org). Second Camp Long-related note tonight: We just got a news release about what sounds like a HUGE volunteer effort at Camp Long on September 20th – up to 500 volunteers fanning out to work in the park. Here’s the full announcement:

“PRESS RELEASE”

NAIOP chooses Camp Long Environmental Learning Center
“One of Seattle’s Best Kept Secrets” for
Community Enhancement Project for Urban Sustainability &
Northwest Harvest Food Drive

September 20, 2008
WHO: Each year the Washington State Chapter of NAIOP (National Association of Industrial and Office Properties) selects a public-enhancement project to demonstrate our commitment and support for the local community. This year, 400 to 500 volunteers will improve the grounds at Seattle’s Camp Long Environmental Learning Center to help the facility bring people close to nature and provide safe and enjoyable outdoor camping and climbing experiences. NAIOP is proud to partner with Seattle Parks and Recreation for this year’s project.

WHAT: The planned improvements will include trail blazing and repair, bridge building, painting, landscaping, signage and other way-finding, construction of log benching, cabin repair, fire-pit chimney repair, re-mortaring cobblestone patios, storm water management, firewood splitting, boardwalk construction, entry arch construction, and ADA improvements.

WHEN: Saturday, September 20, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Camp Long Environmental Learning Center is located at 5200 35th Avenue SW in West Seattle, south of the Golf Course. This unique 68 acre park is “One of Seattle’s Best Kept Secrets,” with an urban forest linked to the West Seattle Golf Course and Longfellow Creek; offering visitors an opportunity to enjoy nature, hike in the forest, watch for salamanders in the pond, camp overnight in rustic cabins, rock climb, and learn about natural history and environmental issues, or plan your special event in the historic lodge. Talented staff offers a wide array of environmental education programs to the public, working throughout the city to provide stewardship opportunities for all of Seattle’s citizens. Built in 1937, this unique cultural landscape is the only city park in the United States that serves as a campground designed and built expressly to teach outdoor recreation skills and wilderness appreciation. This is a place for organized youth groups to learn outdoor skills.

WHY: This annual project gives our volunteers (NAIOP members along with our families and friends) the opportunity to experience the extraordinary results that can be achieved from a single day of working together and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference in our community. The Community Enhancement Project is one of NAIOP’s most successful and gratifying annual events. Due to long term budget shortfalls Camp Long has many needs and NAIOP is stepping up to provide support in meeting many of them. Our ambitious plan for Camp Long cannot be successful without the continued financial contributions from our member companies and the physical labor of the NAIOP community on the day of the event.

Camp Long Environmental Learning Center
Direct experience in nature is critical and decreasing. Nature is important to childhood development in every major way – intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually, and physically. Camp Long offers a sense of place, opportunity for daily experience with nature, experiences that improve achievement, and alleviate alienation.

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