NSEA taught me to love my home, take risks, and embrace change.

Analiese Burns
Board Member, 2005-2020 
30 for Thirty #4

I decided to join NSEA after volunteering at NSEA work parties and observing my colleague’s express satisfaction from serving on the Board. On the day I joined the Board I said I was joining because I wanted to be part of an organization that creates tangible, meaningful on-the-ground change. The answer is as true today as in 2005.

During my time at NSEA I have had the opportunity to interact with a wider sector of society than I would have otherwise - young, elderly, urban, rural, homesteader, or new arrival. I was heartened to learn we share [views] more than we differ and salmon can serve as a common language. NSEA taught me to love my home, take risks, and embrace change.

I am proud that my time with NSEA means I am living my values. Being on the Board has given me lots of skills I can translate into my personal and professional life, including strategic planning, financial management, and interpersonal communication.

Introducing Camp Keystone!

This summer, NSEA is excited to announce our pilot summer camp – Camp Keystone! Salmon are considered a keystone species because of their role as a food source in a wide variety of predators and scavengers as well as a nutrient source that drive ecosystems, and we are excited to celebrate this keystone species!

Camp Keystone is a place where children will explore and discover the wonders of the outdoors while instilling a sense of respect and appreciation for the natural world, rooted in salmon education. Camp will kick off on June 21st and will be offered for campers who are preschool aged or going into kindergarten in the fall.

This is an exciting step for NSEA as we grow our education programming and capitalize on our campus as an avenue to serve the needs of our community. Additionally, we are committed to equity and are proud to offer scholarships so Camp Keystone can be accessible, along with embracing culturally responsive instruction. Each week of Camp Keystone will have a different ecological focus, with a balance of science, wonder, discovery, and silliness! Activities will be centered around salmon and their habitat and feature songs, arts and crafts, stories, and games.

These activities will spark children’s natural curiosity of the outdoors while building social and life skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and self-confidence. Through hands-on, place-based learning, we hope to inspire children to become environmentally responsible and conscientious citizens of tomorrow, to spark a lifelong love of learning, and to develop a deep and enduring connection with the natural world.

Each week of camp is Monday – Friday from 9am – 12pm and will run rain or shine, with a snack break so we can recharge and head back outside! Registration is open so register today by visiting n-sea.org/camp-keystone.

For more information about Camp Keystone, please contact Nathan Zabel at nzabel@n-sea.org or call 360-312-3094.