'Connecting people and nature' at Tremont

“Connecting people and nature” is what the Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont lives and breathes.
 
In 1968 the National Environmental Education Development program sought to establish Environmental Study Areas through out the United States.  A joint effort between the National Park Service, Maryville College and local schools brought a study area to Tremont.  Maryville College ran the Tremont Environmental Education Center for ten years starting in 1969.  By 1971 the Youth Conservation Corps was spending summers at Tremont. 
 
After the conversion of one building to a dormitory and more classrooms were added Tremont was re-opened in 1980 by the Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association (GSMNHA).  Tremont received the name it currently holds, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, in 1986 but still operated under the GSMNHA.  It wasn’t until 2001 that Tremont officially split from GSMNHA to become an independent non-profit organization.
 
There is a wonderful diversity of natural and historic elements within Great Smoky Mountains National Park and, through education, Tremont seeks to help people understand their importance.  Learning through Tremont is very hands-on and focuses on the student as well as the teacher.
 
Tremont has chosen to focus on three aspects of the Smoky Mountains: Sense of Place, Diversity and Stewardship.  The idea of a Sense of Place is based on the importance that every ecosystem has on the planet.  Diversity pertains to the variety of vegetation, animal species and human communities.  Finally, it is the same people who enjoy all that the Smokies have to offer that should take responsibility for Stewardship and the preservation of the Park and its resources for future generations to explore.
 
Programs for Children and Teens
 
Tremont offers education and adventure programs for kids ages nine through seventeen.  Camps are during the summer and range in price from around $500 for a week long program to nearly $1000 for a ten day program.  Parents worried about the cost of the camp should inquire about financial aid before March 31 of the year in which their child wants to attend the program.
 
Discovery Camp is available for children between ages nine and twelve.  The focus is on exploring the many natural resources of the Smokies.  Usual activities include collecting insects, looking for salamanders, hiking and swimming.
 
Naturalist Expeditions Camp is open for kids ages eleven to thirteen.  This program designed for middle-schoolers includes many of the same activities of the Discovery Camp while assisting scientists with actual field research.
 
The Girls in Science Camp is intended specifically for girls heading into the 8th grade.  The program utilizes hands on research to learn about the natural side of the Smoky Mountains. 
 
The final four camps are intended for teenagers between the ages of thirteen and seventeen.
 
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has an All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory program that seeks to find thousands of undocumented species living within the Park.  Participants in the Backcountry Ecological Expeditions Camp will hike into the backcountry to help search for never-before-seen organisms.
 
The Field Ecology Adventure Camp is a more in-depth program that focuses on scientific research methods and education about different animals, including birds and salamanders, but also includes traditional fun associated with summer camp such as hiking, swimming and campfire stories.
 
During the Wilderness Adventure Camp teens will get to learn how to plan a backcountry camping trip that is both safe and fun.  They will pack a backpack containing enough supplies and gear to last four days and three nights under the stars.
 
The Teen High Adventure is designed to teach teenagers about outdoor survival during the fun of a backpack camping trip, hiking and whitewater rafting.
 
Programs for Families and Adults
 
Tremont offers both a Family Adventure Weekend and a week long Family Summer Camp.  Both offer hiking, exploration and fun while the family is housed in the Tremont dormitories.
 
Photography workshops are offered every spring and fall that focus on equipment, use of light and composition through lectures, field sessions and one-on-one instruction tailored to individual skill levels.  The fall workshop is intended for intermediate to professional photographers.
 
The Southern Appalachian Naturalist Certification Program uses a series of field courses designed to teach participants about Southern Appalachian ecology and interpretation.  To quality for the actual Southern Appalachian Naturalist Certification Certificate, eight courses will need to be completed.  Participants can choose to take only some of the courses if they do not intend on completing the entire program for a certificate.
 
During the vibrant colors of October, Tremont offers a Women’s Backpack Weekend exclusively for women.  Participants will hike 5 to 8 miles a day during the weekend and all gear is provided except for sleeping bags.
 
A separate summer Hiking Week is available for both men and women.  Every day there are choices between two different hikes and a separate activity for those who need a day off from hiking.  The hikes will be moderate to strenuous and cover six to fourteen miles a day.  Day off activities range from art, to history or ecology.
 
The Wilderness First Responder course and refresher course will teach scout leaders and camp counselors how to deal with mishaps in the wild.  The course covers bites, burns and other injuries and upon completion participants will be eligible to take a state test at an independent testing center.
 
Education and Teacher Programs
 
The effort to promote research and foster young minds into an appreciation of the Smoky Mountains is apparent in the education and teacher programs that Tremont offers.  Fieldtrip programs are designed to closely parallel school system curricula in neighboring states in the areas of social studies and science.
 
A lesson is typically three hours long and involves hands-on learning.  Tremont teachers and naturalists help to teach the lesson in cooperation with the visiting school’s teacher.  A sample schedule for a class begins on Wednesday evening and culminates with lunch on Friday.  Students and chaperones are housed in Tremont’s dormitories and served family style meals. 
 
Possible lesson topics include stream life, wilderness navigation, trees, air quality and living history.  The curriculum can be tailored based on the grade level and goals of the classroom teacher or school.  Some interactive activities for the lessons include scavenger hunts, hikes, games and capturing small animals.  A 36-page downloadable guide to planning a school trip to Tremont can be found at the Tremont website.
 
Teachers can attend programs individually at Tremont as part of the Science Teacher Institute, a five night intensive field school that covers a wide range of environment and natural resource studies.  One of the goals of the program is to help teachers who are local to the Smoky Mountains understand the diversity of the Smokies and the threats organisms face.  Teachers will also learn information, activities and technology that they can take back to their classroom to enhance science education and citizen science. 

A two day program, Teacher Escape Weekend, allows teachers to come together to share ideas and learn about Tremont school programs.  Teachers who have planned a three or five day classroom trip to Tremont can attend this informational weekend for free.

More Information

The Tremont website has the remaining schedule of 2009 events as well as all planned events and camps for 2010.  Tremont experiences fill up quickly because of the limited space, popularity and value.

Tremont accepts donations via the website that go toward continuing this valuable experience for students.  For more information or to enquire after programs, contact the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont at mail@gsmit.org.