News Release

Whiskeytown Environmental School’s 50th Anniversary

Cabins at Whiskeytown Environmental School

NPS

News Release Date: September 16, 2020

Contact: Tyler Compton,, 530-242-3462

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, in conjunction with the Whiskeytown Environmental School Community (WESC), will mark the 50th Anniversary of Whiskeytown Environmental School (WES) on Saturday, September 26, 2020. This is the first time the WES campus will be open to the public since the Carr Fire destroyed seven cabins and caused closure of this beloved Shasta County institution. Since 1970, thousands of children have hiked the trails, investigated aquatic insects, performed skits, and resided in the cabins that rim the meadow.

A Partnership Renewed
In 1970, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and the Shasta County Office of Education (SCOE) created an outdoor science camp to serve Shasta County school districts at the newly created national recreation area. With the assistance of federal funding and seed money from the National Park Foundation, the camp, which was then known as the National Environmental Education Development (NEED) Camp, was born. In the ensuing decades, this partnership has been joined by the efforts of two non-profit organizations, Friends of Whiskeytown (FOW) and WESC.

In 2019, these four organizations began plans to return to the WES site. The Redding Host Lions Club donated money to SCOE to initiate the planning process. The preliminary results of these plans will be on display during the anniversary event. Five decades of historical photos featuring campers, counselors, naturalists, and program leaders will also be shown.

Visitors Must Obtain a Free Ticket to Visit WES
Due to restrictions imposed upon gatherings during the pandemic, four one-hour blocks of time are available for visitors to select. The tickets will help WESC control and manage the number of people enjoying the tour and outdoor exhibition between 10 am and 3 pm. While on campus, visitors are asked to wear face masks, practice social (physical) distancing, bring water, and wear footwear appropriate for uneven ground. To obtain free tickets for the event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wes-camp-50th-birthday-a-self-guided-tour-and-exhibit-sept-26th-tickets-119536933185

For more information visit WES Forever website at https://www.wesforever.org/ or contact:

Founded in 2011 as a 501(3) (c) non-profit, Whiskeytown Environmental School Community (WESC) has assisted SCOE by raising money to support the environmental education programs at WES. WESC and SCOE are joined by Friends of Whiskeytown and the National Park Service to form WESforever.org, a group dedicated to the rebuilding of Whiskeytown Environmental School and ensuring its future for the next fifty years and beyond and fulfilling the mandate of the NPS to educate the public about natural and cultural resources.

About Whiskeytown National Recreation Area: administered by the U.S. National Park Service, Whiskeytown is one of over 400 parks within the National Park System. The national recreation area was established in 1965 to protect Whiskeytown Lake and surrounding habitat and to provide outdoor recreation opportunities for the people of the United States. The park preserves a diversity of flora and fauna as well as the cultural history of the Wintu People and California Gold Rush. Over 850,000 people visit the park each year. For more information: www.nps.gov/whis