Living in the Longleaf Summer Camp

Name: Living in the Longleaf Summer Camp
Start: 2026-07-15T08:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-07-17T17:00:00-05:00
Location: 150 Lake Thoreau Rd., Hattiesburg, MS, United States, Mississippi 39402

Schedule

Wed, 15 Jul, 2026 at 08:00 am to Fri, 17 Jul, 2026 at 05:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

150 Lake Thoreau Rd., Hattiesburg, MS, United States, Mississippi 39402 | Hattiesburg, MS

Who: Rising 3rd through 5th Grade Students
Cost: $150, Friends of Lake Thoreau: $135
This is the camp that started it all—and the one we bring back every year.
At Lake Thoreau’s Longleaf Pine Camp, students will explore one of the most endangered habitats in the United States: the longleaf pine savanna. Surrounded by some of the oldest remaining stands in Mississippi, campers will learn through hands-on activities, outdoor exploration, and real-world discovery.
We’ll dive into the habitats of south Mississippi and compare them to ecosystems around the world, meet native and endangered species, and learn how conservation efforts are helping protect them. Campers will discover how fire shapes the Gulf Coast, why it’s essential to this ecosystem, and how people use it as a management tool. Along the way, they’ll build teamwork and confidence through games, challenges, and group activities.
And yes—we keep it fun.
Campers will see live animals in their natural habitat, get an up-close look at fire management tools, and even test which natural materials burn best using fuels they collect themselves (safely and supervised, of course). It’s science, nature, and just the right amount of excitement.
If your child loves being outside, asking questions, and learning by doing, this is the camp for them.
This camp is a day camp that meets each at the Lake Thoreau Environmental Center. we will take field trips each day in USM vehicles to visit local sites. Check-in will be between 7:30 and 8:30 A.M. each day, and checkout will occur between 4:45 and 5:30 P.M.
https://www.usm.edu/lake-thoreau-environmental-center/summer-camps.php