The Jewel E. Moore Nature Reserve served as the perfect spot for the first campus camp out along with many other events hosted by the Green Bear Coalition, department of biology, Campus Recreation and Wellness, Campus Outdoors, and the Society of Physics students on Thursday, March 3.

The campout event was held from 2 p.m. and lasted throughout the night. There were seven events held, including a nature walk, setting up camp, a knot tying lesson and more. Attendees also spent the night in the camp.

The lead director of this event was Rob Stine of campus outdoors.

“Rob’s penchant is getting people engaged with the outdoors — thus giving them a reason to care about the conservation and sustainability, which is where Green Bear Coalition comes in,” cosponsor of the event and Green Bear Coalition Grant Williams said. 

The event was structured to help students learn several different skills and experience new things dealing with the outdoors.

“Campus outdoors made this a one-stop event for many of their teaching events they would typically host throughout the semester. Much of which relies on the expertise of staff and volunteers, such as knot tying, fire building, tent set up and equipment and pack design,” Williams said. 

Understanding our role in nature and the outdoors around us is a big message the event tried to convey. 

“This event is to bring awareness to the outdoors in our backyards, literally and figuratively. Whether the Jewel E. Moore Nature Reserve or the Buffalo River, our natural spaces are only as protected as they are cared about. Our impact as a species can alter these ecosystems indefinitely, so conserving requires caring — which happens naturally, if you interact and see value in a space,” Williams said. 

With this being the first time the camp out was held, student attendance this year was low. 

“Turnout was low this year since it’s a new event. In the future semesters, we will have more PR beforehand and set the date early on to ensure people can plan accordingly. We hope to give more people the opportunity for their once-per-semester chance to spend the night in the nature reserve,” Williams said. 

In the future, the Green Bear Coalition is teaming up with Bear Boots on the Ground to lead a trail building and waterfall hike at Jamestown Crag on March 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will also be hosting a Buffalo River clean-up on April 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.