City of Austin’s Earth Camp Program

Earth Camp Austin has evolved over its six-year history into an innovative, effective program that has made a significant contribution to environmental education in the Austin area.  It serves as a model for developing watershed education throughout the state with the potential of expanding its reach nationally.

The City of Austin’s Watershed Protection Department offers this four-day, outdoor program to 400 low-income students in the Austin Independent School District annually, and at no charge.  The primary focus of Earth Camp is on Austin’s watersheds and the preservation of water quality in these watersheds.  Daily field trips include hands-on science investigations and activities encompassing the study of the geography and natural history of the watersheds and the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer, water quality assessments through chemical and biological testing, wastewater treatment and composting, wildlife and other related topics.  Homework assignments encourage students to share their new knowledge with their families.

Earth Camp relies on scientists and educators to provide a program that enhances the students’ education and justifies taking them out of their classrooms for four days.  Fully correlated to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, Earth Camp offers a curriculum that integrates science, social studies, writing, and math components through classroom lessons, daily journaling, and outdoor experiments.

Since winning the 1996 City of Austin Environmental Awareness Award for outstanding governmental program, Earth Camp has increased its science component, and improved its program assessment process with teacher evaluations and pre- and post-tests for the students so that the quality of the program and learning can be better measured.  Because the program can be easily duplicated, the Texas Education Agency’s environmental education television show, “Eye on Earth”, showcased Earth Camp in a March 1999 airing.  The teacher training and a segment of the camp were featured.

Diverse partnerships representing various stakeholders in the community make Earth Camp a hallmark program. The City of Austin Watershed Protection Department funds and directs Earth Camp.  Major sponsors are the Austin Independent School District, Advanced Micro Devices, 3M Austin, Water and Wastewater Utility, McKinney Falls State Park, and The Green Classroom.

Call Susan Wall, Earth Camp Director, at (512) 974-6571 for additional information.