Summer nature camps slated at Succop park
PENN TWP — Some children will get a chance to play with fire this summer. That fire will be part of a safe, adult-supervised day camp next month at Succop Nature Park, 185 W. Airport Road.
“Succop is a nice community asset. We really want to get the word out about the summer camps,” said Ryan Stauffer, the park's naturalist.
Chris Kubiak, the development associate of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, which owns Succop, said there will be three camps set to begin in July.
They are:
- Explorers Camp — For children in kindergarten through second grade, running 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. July 18 to 22. Campers will make crafts, play games and get dirty along the way. Each week features a new nature theme
- Audubon Trailblazers — For third through sixth-graders, running 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. July 25 to 29. Campers will contribute to real-world citizen science by studying butterflies, birds, plants and more. Each week special projects will make the park better for plants, animals and people
- Wilderness Survival Camp — For fifth- through seventh-graders, running 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. July 11 to 15. Participants will learn to recognize the best plants to use when building proper shelters and fires, then build them. Campers will learn to cook over an open fire and orient themselves using nature as a guide.
“These are nature-based camps and will introduce campers to the forest, meadow and wetland areas. The three sites are totally different from one another. We will be going exploring and being in nature,” said Stauffer.
“There will be a lot of individual instruction. We will have a good instructor to camper ratio,” he said.
“They will be interesting camps,” said Kubiak. “So many kids these days don't get out into the woods. We're going to stress fun; serious, but in a fun way.”
Kubiak noted that none of the camps will include an overnight stay.Stauffer said he and interns will be supervising the camps and their activities.Stauffer said the camp supervisors will emphasize safety.Kubiak said, “These camps are designed for every kid with every level of experience. Even kids without outdoor experience will be able to contribute in other ways.”“It's a great opportunity to unplug your kids, get them out into nature,” he said.“This will be the fifth year for the summer camps. There are a limited number of scholarships that will pay for the entire or half the cost of the camps,” Stauffer said.The camps will go on rain or shine.For more information, to apply for a scholarship or to register for the camps, visit aswp.org or call 412-963-6100. The deadline to apply for a camp scholarship is July 4.
