Stewart L. Udall Parks in Focus® Program

Featured Partner-Led Initiatives – Klamath County, Oregon

The Udall Foundation first teamed up with Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin in 2021 to host a virtual series of Parks in Focus® activities for youth members of their organization, ranging in age from 9 to 17, from across Klamath County. The program consisted of weekly virtual meet-ups, guest speakers, photo challenges, and mailed activity kits that aimed to get Friends youth excited about exploring their local public lands through photography.

In addition to the virtual youth programming, the Udall Foundation also facilitated both virtual and in-person train-the-trainer workshops with staff and mentors from Friends, members of the Klamath Tribes Youth Council, and other local partners. These workshops aimed to equip participants with the curriculum and resources to continue pursuing nature photography and exploration with youth in their communities. These pilot activities were made possible by the Gray Family Foundation, Trust for Public Land, and Blue Zones Project®.

Friends of the Children now leads this effort in the Klamath Basin and has applied the Parks in Focus® curriculum and tools to a variety of their annual activities including their summer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) Camp. They also continue to work with the Klamath Tribes Youth Council to host field trips to local sites that are sacred to the Klamath Tribes to help local youth develop a greater appreciation for the land they inhabit.

The Udall Foundation provides training, curriculum development assistance, and other logistical support to help ensure the continuation of this successful partner-led initiative.

Please contact Crystal Muno, Program Director, at cmuno@friendsklamath.org or (541) 273-2022 for more information about Parks in Focus® activities with Friends of the Children—Klamath Basin.