ANCHORAGE – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)'s Campbell Creek Science Center (CCSC) expects more than 1,000 students to participate in the 50th Anniversary Outdoor Week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily, May 7-10 at Campbell Track.
For 50 years, the Bureau of Land Management, the Anchorage School District and federal, state, and local partners have collaborated to host Outdoor Week — Alaska's largest and longest-running outdoor education event — a free program for sixth graders in the Anchorage area.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for us to make integrated connections with youth and motivate them for natural resource management careers like those found within BLM and other land management agencies,” said William Dunk, Anchorage District Director. “The long-standing participation of the BLM and our partners in this event exemplifies our commitment to maintaining the health, diversity and productivity of public lands.”
Over the past decades, approximately 80,000 participants have attended the event, engaging in outdoor activities, promoting stewardship, fostering interest in careers related to resource management, and immersing themselves in the natural world around them.
This year children will participate in activities centered around renewable energy, gold prospecting, bear safety, archaeology, birding, fly tying and casting. These activities will be in the form of stations that children can visit and learn from specialized experts in multiple fields.
This event is coordinated by the BLM Campbell Creek Science Center in partnership with the Anchorage School District Science Department, and presenters from the National Park Service, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and the Alaska Gold Panning Association. Funding from the Friends of Campbell Creek Science Center and the Bureau of Land Management provides bus transportation for students from disadvantaged schools.
The educational event takes place on trails and along the creeks of the BLM Campbell Tract, a 730-acre piece of public land in the heart of Anchorage. The Campbell Tract is home to the Anchorage District and BLM field offices, the Campbell Creek Science Center, the Alaska State Office Depot, the Campbell Airstrip, and 12 miles of public recreation trails.
This event occurs rain or shine and may result in periods of increased lane use, noise and other disturbances. As a reminder to visitors to the Campbell Track area, all pets must always be on a leash.
Campbell Creek Science Center engages all learners in outdoor experiences that increase appreciation, connection, and stewardship of Alaska's public lands and natural resources. For more information about the Campbell Creek Science Center and the programs it offers, please visit the CCSC webpage.
