Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center

Nature's Value

Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center (ELC) is nestled in 2,000 acres of forests, inland lakes and rivers, on a ridge of land overlooking Lake Superior near Finland in southern Lake County, Minnesota. Gary Deason, the executive director of Wolf Ridge for the past 2 years, says that he and his staff “believe in the basic human value of the natural world. It provides solitude, a sense of otherness and our evolutionary past, as well as the opportunity for adventure and exploration. Nature gives us the chance to do things for ourselves, and gives us the opportunity to escape.”

Deason explains that the purpose of Wolf Ridge is to help people feel more comfortable outside, to teach them the skills to be capable and respectful, and to educate them so it is more interesting to be outdoors.

Teaching Environmental Education

Offering a broad range of environmental education activities, the ELC has enabled approximately 300,000 schoolchildren to spend an average of 4 days each involved in hands on environmental education since its beginning in 1971.

Daytime sessions are available in the areas of natural history, cultural history and outdoor recreation, while evening classes range from naturalist programs conducted by Wolf Ridge staff to a wide choice of lesson plans and activity guides for evening use by the teachers and parents that accompany each student group.

An Unforgettable Experience

The campus is beautiful and well equipped to give every visitor an unforgettable experience. During a visit to the Wolf Ridge for classes or camp, you might make use of their two dormitories, the dining hall, two classroom buildings, energy center, or the three remote classrooms (Forest Ecology, Wetlands Ecology and Stream Study).

You can visit the on site gift shop with educational and personal items, or test your skills on the two high adventure ropes courses, two 30’ indoor rock-climbing walls, and three orienteering courses. Or, enjoy time with friends on the two volleyball courts, two outdoor campfire areas, swimming beach and lake study site, and on the miles and miles of gorgeous nature trails that connect with the Superior Hiking Trail.

A Sustainable Future

As part of their education plan, the ELC provides models of sustainability for observation and study. For example, installing a fuel cell is a part of the plan to completely power the new science center with alternative energy. After the old 3 kilovolt wind turbine is replaced this summer with a 10 kilovolt system, 2/3 of the lights and outlets will powered by a combination of the turbine and an 800 volt solar power system. Plans are for the new fuel cell to be installed in roughly two years and this addition will support the rest of the electricity needs. The only by-product of electricity generation from fuel cells is steam, allowing Wolf Ridge to achieve its goal of being powered by 100% renewable and pollution-free energy.

Wolf Ridge ELC is a place for education, community dialogue, and reconnecting with the natural world. “Wolf Ridge is about holistic education. We believe in learning with your mind, body, and emotion at all once,” says Deason, and indeed there seems no better place to do that than the inspiring wilderness of Wolf Ridge ELC.