Sustainability

Here at Camp Wilmot we take seriously our call to be stewards of God's good creation! In 2018, Middlebury College student and long time Camp Wilmot-er Anna Loewald led the charge to do just that as our Sustainability Intern. Read on to learn about Camp Wilmot's steps toward a more sustainable and environmentally conscious camp!

Apple Trees

To encourage the children's understanding and participation in caring for nature, we planted four new apple trees during Adventure Week. Throughout camp, kids helped to water the trees in nature class and paint signs in arts and crafts.

Local Food

Partnered with a local farmer from Good Enough Farm, Camp was able to incorporate more local and healthy food options into our menu. This opportunity allowed kids to learn about the importance of healthy eating and supporting local food systems. They learned about interesting new vegetables, like kohlrabi (a type of wild cabbage), and ate a whole meal of only local food made from locally purchased eggs, vegetables, and home picked rhubarb during Adventure Week. This meal was eaten in conjunction with the Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer's from Boston who focus on local food systems. They taught the campers about their year-long pledge to eat locally and its importance to the environment. They even helped the kids make their own basil planters out of recycled soda bottles which each child got to take home with their budding basil plants.

Composting

At camp, we decided to take action against food waste. We composted all of our produce waste, saving it from ending up in the landfill where it would have emitted harmful methane gasses into our atmosphere. By composting, we also taught the campers about the importance of reducing food waste, getting only as much as one can eat on their plate, and being conscious and aware of our food habits and behaviors.

Nature Class

During nature class, the campers were able to experiment with different environmental issues concerning our world today. They also learned how one person could slightly alter their lives to help reduce these problems. The campers learned about the dangers of ocean pollution, oil spills, and erosion.

Rain Barrel

Anna, camp's Sustainability Intern, built a rain barrel to sustainably water the newly planted apple trees. From this, the campers were able to learn about harvesting water and how to properly water an apple tree.