"What you have here is something that cannot be replaced. It must be held carefully and passed on."

For decades, our 300 acres in Mount Washington, in the southern Berkshires of Massachusetts, have offered something increasingly rare: room to wander, to look closely, to slow down and notice. Alice Rich Northrop Memorical Camp is a non-profit nature camp with a simple mission — giving inner-city boys and girls a chance to experience the wonder of nature directly, at no cost to their families.

That idea goes back to our founder, Alice Rich Northrop, who in 1920 imagined a place where kids could see, touch, and understand how living things connect with each other and with us. That's still what we're about today. Six of our 300 acres are mowed camp grounds; the rest is wild, ecologically rich land protected by the Nature Conservancy, so our campers are surrounded by nature every day they're here.

For over 70 years, middle school-aged kids have come to Northrop Camp for a life-changing experience. The impact is clear — all of our board members and most of our volunteers are former campers ourselves. For a lot of kids, coming here feels like stepping into a whole new world, one full of life and discovery they never knew existed. That kind of hands-on time outdoors sticks with them. It builds curiosity, empathy, and a sense of responsibility that carries well beyond camp — shaping adults who care about the world around them and thrive in whatever they choose to do.

On behalf of the board, welcome!