Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, Inc.

Discover what's in your nature!

aka Eagle Bluff   |   Lanesboro, MN   |  www.eaglebluffmn.org

Mission

To empower people to care for the earth and each other.

Notes from the nonprofit

Accredited by AdvanceEd / NCA, Member of Association of Challenge Course Technology, Member of Association of Nature Center Administrators.

Ruling year info

1982

Executive Director

Colleen K Foehrenbacher

Main address

28097 Goodview Dr

Lanesboro, MN 55949 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

Forest Resource Center

EIN

41-1431959

NTEE code info

Educational Services and Schools - Other (B90)

Environmental Education and Outdoor Survival Programs (C60)

Natural Resource Conservation and Protection (C30)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The disconnect between people and the environment. Giving people a positive outdoor experience so they can become stewards of the environment.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Outdoor School

Schools participating in our residential program stay at our center from one to five days/nights and choose classes designed to meet academic standards and complement classroom curriculum. All of our classes and activities are aligned with the Minnesota State Academic Standards targeted at 5th - 8th grade. Classes are taught by a team of professional educators, certified teachers, and highly skilled environmental education Fellows. Eagle Bluff's residential program provides students in-depth, hands-on experiences in:


Ecology

Nature Identification

Earth and Physical Science

History and People

Outdoor Adventure/Recreation

Challenge Skills

Art and Nature

Sustainability


As Participants in our residential program, guests also participate in conservations practices through these programs:


Eagle Eye Award: Encourages every school to conserve natural resources by eliminating wasted water, electricity, energy and by correctly recycling all necessary refuse. Eagle Bluff staff checks dorm rooms daily and groups with remaining energy points receive the Eagle Eye Award to take back to their school.

FoodWISE: Encourages every school to work at minimizing food waste and promote positive portion control. Schools that remain below the allotted food waste threshold are added to our Golden Clean-plate Hall of Fame displayed in our Dining Hall.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Adults

Eagle Bluff's Adult Education program focuses on meeting the needs of life-long learners who seek to better care for the land and their students/co-workers. We a J-term experience for college students and a variety of outdoor recreation classes. Each winter we also host a speaker series paired with dinner on our campus.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Retired people

Eagle Bluff is home to a multitude of unique and adventurous summer camps for kids entering grades 3 through 11. Each camp allows the campers to experience the best of Eagle Bluff's adventure activities on our high ropes courses and at the archery range. Each camp has a distinct theme which allows the kids to explore and immerse themselves in a new focus area of their choosing. From learning to handle raptors to discovering what it's like to sleep outdoors in their own shelter, Eagle Bluff campers gain new skills, build their self-confidence, and foster their relationship with the natural world.

Population(s) Served
Adolescents

The 12 month Fellowship is aimed at college graduates wishing to develop comprehensive skills and expertise as environmental educators. Participants have the option to earn a post-graduate certificate in Environmental Education from Hamline University as well as a Certified Interpretive Guide designation from the National Association for Interpretation. While living in campus, Fellows serve as the primary educators for our Outdoor School and Summer Camp programs.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Evenings full of great food and enlightened conversation. Noted speakers and presenters from throughout the country kick off the evening with an engaging presentation related to sustainability or natural history followed by a delicioust meal.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Retired people

We offer miles of trails to explore and recreate on as well as a few select guided activities for visitors to the area.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Our nature preschool partners with Fillmore County Head Start program with the goal of providing children ages 3-5 with a kindergarten readiness program which uses environmental education to support the development of the whole child.

We aim to open enrollment for non-Head Start preschoolers beginning in the fall of 2021. If you have questions about our nature preschool program, please contact: [email protected] To be the first to know about events related to the nature preschool, sign up for email alerts below!

Population(s) Served
Children

Where we work

Accreditations

North Central Association of Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement - Accreditation 2017

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of acres of land protected

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Age groups

Type of Metric

Context - describing the issue we work on

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

1. Promote positive outdoor experiences / 2. Spark curiosity and appreciation for the natural world / 3. Foster a sense of respect, stewardship and community / 4. Impart life skills such as teamwork and problem solving / 5. Increase environmental & academic literacy

-Getting to know Students by Name
-Following the 4 Respects: yourself, others, equipment and the environment.
-Participating in Collaborative Work
-Encouraging Safe Risk-taking
-Engaging Directly With Nature through Hands-on Activities
-Thinking Like a Scientist
-Learning Through Discussions
-Utilizing the Learning Cycle Model - Incorporating MN State Academic standards and STEM principles when possible.

Our classes are hands-on. Students learn about tree identification by going into the forest to identify trees. They learn about water quality by standing in the water and taking samples, running tests and analyzing results. Each class makes a lasting impression on the student because they are taking an active part in learning. Also, because our students stay with us 3-5 days at a time, they spend a lot of time with classmates they may not normally socialize with. They may see a classmate they barely know succeed on the Tree Tops Class and celebrate that victory with them. They learn to respect themselves and others. A trait that will serve them well as they grow.

We have sent over 150 well-trained environmental educators into the field. Over 500,000 students have participated in our Residential School Program. We have been commended by AdvancEd / NCA for our powerful practices.

Financials

Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, Inc.
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, Inc.

Board of directors
as of 10/18/2021
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Ian Scheerer

Wells Fargo Financial Services

Term: 2018 - 2022

Bethany Krom

Mayo Clinic Emeritus

Ian Scheerer

Wells Fargo

Natasha Yates

St. Catherine University

Charles Brown

Brownseed Genetics LLC

Lynn Brown

Horton Holding, Inc.

Richard Nethercut

Nethercut Law

Katie Halvorson

Winona Cotter Schools

Susan Benysh

Mayo Clinic

Darrin Herrara

IBM

Austin Bauer

Northfield Healthy Community Initiative

Dennis Schreiber

AmeriCorps MN Reading Corps Tutor

Jeff Burns

retired from Kahler

John Broadwater

Retired School Administrator

Jessica Schuler

MN DNR

Jessica Voss-Kehl

3M, Women’s Industry Network

Mike Rapatz

Retired Hasting Middle School Teacher

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 01/08/2021

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female
Sexual orientation
Decline to state
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

No data

 

No data

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data