June 8, 2023
Eco Friends campers at Cooper Marsh Conservation Area participating in a sampling activity.
The River Institute has offered the Eco Friends Summer Day Camp since 1997. The camp took a brief hiatus during the pandemic and was offered in a modified format for 2022. This summer marks the return of Eco Friends as a full-time day camp for children ages 6-11, which will run for three weeks from July 4 to 21 at Cooper Marsh Conservation Area in South Glengarry.
Nestled on the north shore of Lake St. Francis, Cooper Marsh Conservation Area is owned and managed by the Raisin Region Conservation Authority (RRCA). The 663-acre wetland, located a few minutes’ drive from South Lancaster, is home to a rich variety of plant and animal species and is part of the larger Charlottenburgh Marsh – one of the most significant wetlands in Ontario. The two-level Visitors Centre, located in the heart of the Marsh, consists of education and taxidermy displays and is an excellent location to host day campers.
The River Institute's partnership with the RRCA provides campers the chance to learn about science and the natural environment in a hands-on, minds-on manner by using Cooper Marsh as an outdoor classroom. Activities include a combination of hiking, frog and aquatic invertebrate catching, games, crafts, scientific experiments and much more.
“It is so exciting to be back to full time camps again this summer. Eco Friends is a unique way to engage kids with science and their nature environment. Campers learn various skills that biologists use every day and understand how research can be applied to current issues including climate change,” said the River Institute’s camp coordinator, Alanna Akkermans.
”We are proud of our environmental education partnership with the River Institute at Cooper Marsh. We and the community are thrilled the Camp will be resuming at the Marsh and we cannot wait to host all the campers this summer!” said Lisa Van De Ligt, RRCA’s Team Lead, Communications and Stewardship.
All camps run from 9 am to 4 pm and the following weeks are open for registration:
- Week 1: July 4 – 7 (Tuesday to Friday) $180
- Week 2: July 10 – 15 (Monday to Friday) $225
- Week 3: July 17 – 21 (Monday to Friday) $225
To register for camp please visit https://education.riverinstitute.ca/educationcamps/
Learn more about the River Institute’s other education programming at education.riverinstitute.ca or by contacting (613) 936-6620 or info@riverinstitute.ca
For more information about Cooper Marsh or the Raisin Region Conservation Authority visit rrca.on.ca or contact (613) 938-3611 or info@rrca.on.ca