Dunes Learning Center

...where nature nurtures knowledge

The mission of Dunes Learning Center is to provide an in-depth exploration of the dynamic relationship between people and their environments using the natural and cultural resources of the Indiana dunes region where nature and society co-exist.

In partnership with the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Dunes Learning Center is proud to carry on a tradition of learning in the dunes begun more than 100 years ago by Dr. Henry Chandler Cowles, known as "The Father of Ecology in North America." Our programs help students appreciate the globally significant natural resources that exist in the midst of one of the world's great urban / industrial regions. As we seek to improve and expand our compelling programs and facilities, our basic goal remains ever-constant, to provide exceptional residential environmental education opportunities for learners of all ages.

The Need for Residential Environmental Education

Environmental education is a process aimed at improving the quality of life by empowering people with the tools they need to understand and prevent environmental issues. Environmental education can help people gain the knowledge, skills, values, and commitment needed to manage the earth's resources in a sustainable manner and preserve high-quality environments.

Congress recognized the importance of education by including this function in the mission of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore when it was authorized as the first urban national park in 1966. More than thirty years later, 81 percent of teachers who brought classes to the national park for day field trips indicated their interest in overnight, in-depth programming, while area leaders recognized the importance of a regional learning center where students could immerse themselves in the dunes. Soon the collective work began to build a residential facility, create high-quality programs led by creative and experienced staff began, and in October, 1998 the Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center was launched. The Dunes Learning Center is a unique facility, situated next to our nation's third largest metropolitan area.

During each of our approximately 50+ annual school programs, we see student's learning come alive with hands-on lessons in the dunes, woods, streams, beaches and bogs. For nearly all of our 5,000+ students, a visit to the Dunes Learning Center will mark many critical experiences: first sighting of a red-tail hawk, first sounds of snowy owls and spring peepers, even initiations into songs and stories around an evening campfire. We are opening doors to a new world for students, connecting area children to this one-of-a-kind regional resource.

Much of Dunes Learning Center environmental education programming is dedicated to our "Frog-in-the-Bog" residential program for 4th, 5th and 6th grade students. The program provides a three-day / two-night experience featuring the natural and cultural history of the dunes, the interconnection of human and natural environments, and an awareness of the rich biodiversity found in the southern shores of Lake Michigan. The program meets several state curriculum standards for science, math, social studies and language arts. Other programs offered consist of Science Olympiad Team Training, Winter Survival in the Dunes, and DuneSCOPES, which has been honored as an Outstanding Interpretive Program for high school students.

The Dunes Learning Center continues to strengthen its programming and look for opportunities for students to experience their natural environment in new ways. A strategic plan is in place to guide our future efforts as the board members gradually build the base of community support. We are excited about the potential for growth in the coming years and are encouraged by the positive responses we receive each week from teachers, principals, and, most importantly, the students who participate in our unique programs. Together, we can engage, educate, and empower today's students to be tomorrow's stewards of our natural resources!