Your Neighbourwood - Your Community, Reimagined

When you think of your community, what comes to mind? For many of us, it’s the people and places we know and love — neighbours and friends, familiar streets, cherished shops, libraries, and landmarks that make us feel at home.

But what if we expanded that idea of community to include more than just people and buildings? What if we recognized the trees as neighbours, the birds as fellow residents, the rivers, insects, soil, and wildflowers as part of our extended family?



There’s a beautiful word for this broader sense of belonging: Neighbourwood. It invites us to see the living world not as a collection of resources, but as a vibrant community — one we’re deeply connected to. When we begin to see ourselves as part of nature, rather than apart from it, we care for the Earth not out of obligation, but out of love and kinship.

The Anishinaabe have long embraced this perspective. Their word Nda-nwendaaganag meaning “all my relations” — a reminder that every part of the natural world is interconnected, worthy of respect, and deserving of gratitude.

As spring awakens around us and life returns in all its richness, may we walk the land with reverence. Let’s nurture this sense of connection — and help our children grow up with the understanding that their community includes all their relations.

Camping is about community! Whether it is laughing under a rainbow parachute, singing around a campfire, paddling with friends or communing with nature, summer camp builds life-long friendships and a sense of belonging in this world.

At Camp Kawartha, we love watching kids connect with each other and with the beautiful world around them. We're so excited to see new faces and old friends. Come join us for new adventures, lots of laughs and the unforgettable experience of awe that comes of watching the sun set over the lake or a deer walk silently through the forest.

"I have been coming to Camp Kawartha since 2017 when I was 9, and I absolutely love every year more than the previous. I want to join the staff because of how amazing they made me feel, so that I can share my love of camp with kids. I've always felt included, and my self-esteem always improves each year I come back home".

Join us at both our locations, at Clear Lake and at our Environment Centre! Each location offers children and youth a wide variety of experiences and wilderness adventures.

If you haven't yet signed up, come join us! We offer Day Programs, Overnight Camps, Canoe Trips and Leadership Adventures. Our Environment Centre Summer Camp has spaces left for Wild Clover, Day Camps and Leadership Camps.

~ Book now! They're going fast! ~

Environment Centre Camp still has spots left especially in:

Week 1 (June 30-July 4th); Week 5 (July 28th-Aug 1st); Woodland Adventures (July 14th-18th; Aug 18th-22nd)

Clear Lake Camp sessions are mostly full but check out:

Session A (June 29th-July 5th) and Session N (Aug 24th-27th)

To register or inquire about sessions, please reach out to our registrar Sarah!

Bring Your Class Outside!

Immerse your students in a hands-on outdoor learning adventure. Camp Kawartha’s school trips include engaging, curriculum-linked activities, comfortable accommodations, healthy meals, and seamless support to ensure an unforgettable experience for educators and students alike.

Bring your class to:

• Experience nature firsthand, forging a lifelong bond with the environment. 
• Engage in over 60 award-winning, curriculum-linked outdoor and environmental programs. 
• Witness sustainable living practices in action and acquire vital knowledge and skills to care for our planet. 
• Become advocates and leaders for a regenerative future that includes all living and non-living entities.  

Our educators are highly trained professionals, equipped with the necessary certifications and experience. They are committed to inspiring environmental leaders and stewards of all ages through dynamic, year-round outdoor programming and strategic partnerships aimed at creating meaningful change

"The opportunities provided to our students at Camp Kawartha these past three days have been more incredible than we could have imagined. Seeing our students who may not necessarily excel in a typical classroom environment thrive at camp was what reminds us all what our roles as teachers are. We are so grateful for all the absolutely incredible staff who supported all of our students, be it through fears, needs, or otherwise. We are so lucky to have such an incredible camp and reassured so close to home, and so thankful to have been able to participate in a trip these students will truly never forget." 

We are recognized leaders in environmental education with our innovative sustainable buildings; vegetable, herb and pollinator gardens; plus 185 acres of forests, fields, and wetlands located in the heart of the Kawartha Lakes that provide an ideal setting for teaching children and youth to love, understand, and care for the natural world. The hands-on experiences we offer to children and youth serve as living examples of how people and nature can thrive together.  

We are booking for the next school year but there are a few spots left in May and June!

Join us at both our Clear Lake site where offer Overnight Visits, Day Visits as well as our New Extended Day Visits (with campfires and s'mores!). Or book your class for a Day Visit at the Environment Centre, one of Canada's most sustainable and regenerative buildings. If you'd like to keep your class closer to home, why not book us to come to you! Our team of award-winning educators loves to bring our programming to your classroom and schoolyard!

P.S. For local schools booking at the Environment Centre, we offer a bus subsidy generously supported by the Gainey Foundation to help make our mandate of connecting kids with nature a reality.

Partnering for the Goals:

'Outdoors for All Program'

Too often, children experience barriers to engaging with nature! Through our generous donors, Camp Kawartha's 'Outdoors for All Program' seeks to empower children from the greater Peterborough region and beyond, regardless of financial circumstances, have the opportunity to learn, grow, and evolve into engaged environmental citizens of tomorrow. Be a part of transformative outdoor education of all!

Building Community: Mother Trees, Bees and Chickadees

Spring has sprung at the Environment Centre!

It's early days, yet, but you can see the pollinators buzzing around and getting ready for a season of community building! Bumble bees are just coming out of winter hibernation and are looking to start their hives and their important role in helping feed the world and bring new life to so many trees, flowers and other beings.

We're supporting our pollinators by building new gardens (thanks to Marty and the Woodland Wednesday Crew) and shifting old ones (thanks Athen!). Greenwood Church has been partnering with us to care for our apple orchard. And the Rootwood Miyawaki Forest (with additions!) is starting to transform our front meadow into a transitional space that supports all-our-relations (including providing tasty bark snacks for the rabbits and deer!).

School groups are being welcomed back after our ice-storm and we're so excited to be partnering with local school boards to bring students to our Environment Centre! We're offering a new SHSM program and we continue to offer our usual programs for K-12 and beyond. Spending time connecting with nature is one of the most beneficial opportunities we can give our children and youth! Come out and connect with chickadees and bees! Did you know that honey bees are excellent mathematicians? And they're excellent communicators and group decision-makers!

"Our visit to the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre last week was wonderful. The program was perfectly suited to the science subjects we are currently working on (Gr 4 Habitats, Gr. 5 Conservation of Energy). My kids loved the activities, both indoor and out. They were engaging, interactive, hands-on, thought-provoking, and lots of fun. Our instructor had excellent classroom management skills and was very knowledgeable about the subjects involved. The kids had a wonderful time hiking the woods, running in the fields, participating in a scavenger hunt, playing camouflage, and generally having a great time. Thank you!"

The Environment Centre is one of Camp Kawartha's mother trees: we're a place where community connects and enriches everyone's lives! Come join us! Recently we've

• supported local music, such as the St. Pat's Day event organized by Tanah Haney and John Hoffman,
• hosted the Peterborough Youth Substance Use Prevention Initiative (PYSUP) community meeting to create a healthier social environment for youth,
• trained Eco-Mentors,
• supported Trent University student research
• and brought schools and youth to engage, learn and grow with and within a regenerative natural community that values everyone, whether you fly, buzz, creep, crawl, lope or walk on two legs!

There's always lots happening at the Environment Centre! Come have fun with us!

Nature School Registration Opens Soon!!

The Camp Kawartha Environment Centre Nature School is a place where healthy kids grow into compassionate and empowered adults.



Come join us for a transformative education that inspires future generations to care for each other and the planet. Our programs foster whole-child learning through experiential learning and play. Our students gain a deep understanding of and connection with the land. Their knowledge of plants, animals and the way nature works goes well beyond curricular expectations. At the Environment Centre Nature School, we foster well-being so that our students can engage fully with their world and become the environmental leaders of the future, whatever career road they end up travelling!

We still have some space in our Spring programs!

"I love the programs at the Environment Centre because I feel welcome and wanted. I love how the instructors make learning a fun experience. The other kids are so friendly, smart and kind. It makes a great environment to just be yourself and have fun."



Save this Space! Registration for next year opens June 1!

Forest Explorers (Mon & Wed: Ages 4-7); Woodsy Wednesdays & Forest Fridays (Wed & Fri: Ages 8-13); Rootwood (Tues: Ages 13-17); and Forest Adventures, our new monthly Saturday program for ages 8-13!

Team Building for Businesses

Camp Kawartha’s award-winning team-building programs are designed to energize, motivate, and strengthen your team. Through interactive activities and expert guidance, we help build communication skills, foster collaboration, and inspire new strategies to thrive in today’s fast-paced work environment. Perfect for corporate retreats, group workshops, and professional development.

Come bring your team to do cooperative games and team-building or enjoy our range on snow-shoes or skis. Businesses love combining work with pleasure. Book team-building activities for the morning, enjoy a delicious lunch and then settle down for some work sessions in the afternoon!

We also book Weddings and other Events at both our Clear Lake and Environment Centre Sites!

Partnering with the Diverse Nature Collective

In early March, the Diverse Nature Collective came out for a day of snow and sun at our Environment Centre! Snowshoeing and skiing along with fun winter games and - of course - hot chocolate were enjoyed by all!

If you are interesting in hearing more about the Diverse Nature Collective, check out their awesome programming! They are a BIPOC-led organization that celebrates and promotes diverse and racialized voices to be heard and supports BIPOC leadership and activism within the environmental and social justice communities. Check them out!

A word of thanks....

A word of gratitude to Mike Schmorr and his team of hardworking staff who make the magic of Camp Kawartha possible. You often hear about our educators, but without our dedicated, knowledgable and intrepid maintenance staff we would not be able to offer the joy of maple syrup, the exhilaration of the climbing wall, or the serenity of an evening paddle. Our maintenance team is always working hard behind the scene to make sure that parking lots are ploughed, canoes are fixed, and trees are made safe after ice storms. They also help educate about our green buildings and infrastructure, as you can see Mike doing here! Thanks Mike, Jeremy and Ryan!