Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Profile

Touch of Nature Environmental Center serves Southern Illinois University Carbondale as an outdoor laboratory for experiential learning, as a field site for research, and as a provider of therapeutic recreation, environmental education, outdoor adventure, personal and interpersonal development programs, and conference services.

The Center's mission is to enhance learning, promote the professional development of students, and provide high quality outdoor educational, research, and experiential programs and services to the University and the larger community.

In 1949, Southern Illinois University President, Dr. Delyte W. Morris, envisioned the establishment of an outdoor laboratory to support the educational mission of the University. In 1951, under the guidance of its first director, Dr. William H. Freeberg, Little Grassy Camp began operating on 150 acres acquired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The initial program, now known as "Camp Little Giant," has the distinction of being recognized as the nation's first university-affiliated residential camping program for people with disabilities.

Today, Little Grassy Camp is known as Touch of Nature Environmental Center. It lies on 3,100 acres of primarily forested land located on the shore of Little Grassy Lake—eight miles south of Carbondale and the University campus, and is bordered by Giant City State Park, the Shawnee National Forest, and the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. The Center now operates year around, and provides facilities and services in five program areas:

Conference Services

Facilities, food and event planning for business meetings, conferences, banquets, weddings, family reunions, retreats, or get-togethers.

Environmental Education

Exciting outdoor learning experiences in natural resource education, nature interpretation, and resource management are available as half and full-day programs or in conjunction with, campouts, overnights, and extended residential programs and expeditions.

Spectrum Wilderness

Highly challenging 30-day long courses that include extended wilderness expeditions specially designed to address and modify the behavior of at-risk youth between 13 and 18 years of age.

Therapeutic Recreation

Day programs, campouts, overnight respites, and extended residential retreats for individuals from 8 to 80 years of age with physical or developmental characteristics that require special care, attention, and instruction.

Underway Outdoor Adventure

Rock climbing, team building courses, high ropes courses, orienteering, backpacking, and canoeing activities are offered as half day or full-day programs or in conjunction with campouts, extended residential programs, and expeditions.