Alberta Wildlife Federation significantly expanded its Edmonton summer camp programming

In an effort to connect more urban youth with the outdoors, the Alberta Wildlife Federation significantly expanded its summer camp programming in Edmonton this year. Focused on nature and conservation, the five-day educational day camps are designed to get children aged seven to 14 outside, active and engaged with the natural world.

“This is part of a broader effort to reach new audiences and introduce young people—especially those from urban settings—to fish, wildlife and habitat,” says Kelly Carter, the AWF’s CEO. “We know kids are spending more time on screens than ever, so our goal is to get them outside and learning in a hands-on way.”

The camps, which operated from late June to late August, were based out of Brookside Community Hall beside Edmonton’s River Valley trail system. With themed weeks focusing on topics such as water, wildlife and air, campers hiked between five and 13 kilometres a day, exploring local ecosystems and taking part in nature-focused games, experiments and environmental learning activities. For many participants, it was their first time fishing—or even their first meaningful experience in nature.

Each camp was led by AWF-trained summer staff hired through the Canada Summer Jobs program. “They bring a mix of science and recreation backgrounds, which allows them to lead both physical activities and educational programming,” Carter says.

While the first year of the initiative had modest attendance, 2025’s response exceeded expectations. The federation welcomed nearly 100 participants by the end of the summer, more than triple last year’s numbers. A spring break version of the program also ran earlier this year, again with strong demand.

Notably, almost all of the families enrolled were new to the Alberta Wildlife Federation. “We’re seeing strong interest from people who haven’t previously connected with our work,” Carter says, noting the AWF is continuing to expand the program and make outdoor education more accessible. “This isn’t just a great conservation outreach tool—it’s building our membership for the future.”

Learn more about the AWF at www.albertawildlifefederation.ca.