Category Archives: Master Plan

Reflections on 2016

As the Winter Solstice approaches, Wildwood’s bare trees reveal wider views of Hubbard Pond. The grays and browns of mid-December create their own stark beauty. During this quiet time, we reflect on the year that has gone by and prepare for the one to come.

Thank You for Your Support

We are grateful to the 104 families who donated to Wildwood in 2016. Because of their generosity, we were able to offer over $50,000 in financial aid to campers who might not otherwise have been able to come to camp and we were able to fund the construction of two Wooden Tents in the Fossey Unit. Truly, the generosity of our camp families reflects the spirit of Wildwood—together, connecting with nature and each other, we can make a difference.

Wildwood Camp Director Welch Narron with campers

Wildwood Camp Director Welch Narron with some happy campers.

Making Camp Possible for All

We have more big plans for Wildwood in 2017. One important initiative is our effort to provide new ways of offering camp scholarships by partnering with elementary and middle schools in urban areas of Massachusetts. Our hope is to widen our camp family by finding and inviting to Wildwood children who might never have considered overnight camp on their own.

New Wooden Tents for Fossey Unit

As for progress we can see and feel, this winter and spring our construction crew will finish the second and third Wooden Tents in the Fossey Unit. In 2017, all Fossey campers will be sleeping in Wooden Tents! After that, we will look ahead to funding and building three Wooden Tents in the Thoreau Unit.

New Wooden Tents in the Fossey Unit at Wildwood Overnight Camp

Cranberry (right) and our newest Wooden Tent (left) in the Fossey Unit

Registration is Open for 2017!

Finally, registration is underway for Summer 2017! You may register now via our website. Be sure to check out the 2017 camp brochure also on our website. Watch for the paper version in mailboxes and at your local sanctuary soon. Register for camp by January 15 to take advantage of the Early Bird discount.

Will You Join Us?

In closing, we want to thank again all of our generous donors. Will you join them? Please consider an end-of-year gift to Wildwood. Donations toward our general operations, scholarship program, and our Wooden Tent Campaign are truly appreciated. Thank you, and best wishes for the holiday season.

Donate Today

A Closer Look at a part of the Wildwood Facilities Master Plan

Throughout the off-season, the Wildwood team has been hard at work developing a facilities master plan for camp based on our own observations and camper and family feedback. It became clear that one area of focus for us will be the expansion of our trails and pathways.

Trails at Wildwood

The main entrance way at Wildwood

The main entrance way at Wildwood

Our trails come in a variety of shapes and sizes and serve a number of different purposes. One of the most common pathways campers use during their time at Wildwood is the gravel road (dubbed Vining Road), which winds its way from one end of camp to the other. This path is designed to allow campers to safely and efficiently travel between activities, units, and meals. The path also serves camp vehicles which allow our Property Manager, Astro, and his team to reach all of the buildings at camp in order to keep everything in top shape.

A quiet path through the woods

A quiet path through the woods

Other trails at camp are smaller, designed only for foot travel, and provide a much closer connection to nature as groups of campers and staff travel from place to place. Some of these trails, like the infamous Fossey Trail, are special to a specific camper unit, which creates unit pride and ownership of that space at camp.

Why Trails are Important

A red eft, found on the way to breakfast

A red eft, found on the way to breakfast

Trails are vitally important at camp not just for transportation, but also for group building and programming. Some of the most valuable social experiences at camp happen while a group of campers and staff walk together. It is in these moments when campers from different unit might share a song or game they learned from their counselor with a new friend who they just met at the Camp Store during OATs.

These times also are often the best source of “nature moments”. A dewy morning will treat units to plenty of sightings of red efts. It’s common at Wildwood for groups to arrive at meal time with plenty of great wildlife sightings to share.

Plans for Future Trails

A group enjoying a nature walk

A group enjoying a nature walk

Songs, nature moments, games, and all of the other great forms of community building are what we wish to highlight with the revamped trail system. In the new plan, campers will be able to spend more time on trails specifically designed for foot travel. Gone will be the days of groups yielding to vehicles as they walk to a meal. Instead, groups will be engaged with the natural environment and each other.

The new trail system will also feature additional resources for programming, through the use of interpretation stations. These small covered structures will allow groups to stop in a comfortable place to take a closer look at what they have discovered. These stations and their associated trails will make use of natural features like streams.

Stay Tuned!

We will be revealing more information about the development of the Wildwood Facilities Master Plan over the next few months. Subscribe to this blog and the Wildwood e-news for more updates. If you are a Wildwood Alum who hasn’t yet visited the current property, contact us to set up a visit. Camp is starting in just a few short weeks, and we can’t wait for this summer’s campers to arrive at the end of June!