Hitchcock Center for the Environment

Specialties

The Hitchcock Center for the Environment’s mission is to foster a greater awareness and understanding of our environment and to develop environmentally literate citizens. The Center offers preschool, homeschool, afterschool, field trip, and camp programs for children and youth as well as knowledge sharing walks, programs, and professional development opportunities for teachers and adults year round.

History

Established in 1962.

The Hitchcock Center for the Environment was founded in 1962 by Ethel Dubois (1906 – 1987), a retired guidance counselor. Ethel was deeply inspired by the works of Rachel Carson (1907 – 1964) who is recognized as the founder of the contemporary environmental movement. She bought a farm in Leverett and, with the support of a handful of dedicated volunteers, provided summer camp and nature programs for low-​income children living primarily in Holyoke and Springfield. Her goal was to provide these children with opportunities otherwise not available to them: to experience the natural world and to develop a sense of wonder about it.

Today, the Center remains true to its core mission to foster a greater awareness and understanding of our environment and to develop environmentally literate citizens. It now serves nearly 7,000 children, youth, and adults each year, employs a growing staff of highly skilled environmental educators, and has a service region that encompasses all of western MA.