Wolf Haven International has officially secured a $220,000 investment from Washington state through the Local Community Projects program, the Tenino-based wolf conservation nonprofit organization announced Wednesday.
This funding will support the construction of a year-round outdoor science education facility in South Thurston County, specifically designed to expand educational reach and provide local students with immersive, hands-on wildlife learning experiences in a natural setting.
The investment, sponsored by state Sen. Drew MacEwen and state Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, from Washington’s 35th Legislative District, will fund the development of an Americans With Disabilities Act-accessible elevated classroom designed to serve thousands of students annually. The organization said this will increase access to environmental education for rural, tribal and Title I schools across the region.
“Research consistently shows that outdoor learning improves academic outcomes and student engagement. Wolf Haven’s Treehouse Learning Center will bring that experience to students who might otherwise never have access to it, and inspire wonder while connecting them to STEM concepts in the natural world,” Geoff Willard, Wolf Haven’s executive director, said in a news release. “We’re deeply grateful to our 35th District legislators for supporting this transformational investment in outdoor education for our rural Tenino community.”
Wolf Haven is a globally recognized, award-winning wolf sanctuary located in Tenino that is dedicated to wildlife conservation and science-based education. As schools increasingly focus on helping students achieve nationwide educational standards in math and English, subjects deemed less essential such as science and art are often removed from curriculum, taught at a later age or not addressed at all. Wolf Haven aims to bridge this gap by providing educational programs, as well as guided sanctuary and prairie walks, to groups of all ages and backgrounds.
The organization’s Treehouse Learning Center project is currently in the permitting phase, with construction to follow. The project is being developed in partnership with Nelson Treehouse, a Washington-based company known for its work on “Treehouse Masters.” Once complete, the Treehouse Learning Center will be the only structure of its kind in the South Puget Sound region, sitting 17 feet above the ground and overlooking 36 acres of restored Mima mound prairie.
The structure will also allow Wolf Haven to provide educational programs when its sanctuary is otherwise closed to visitors, allowing for consistent year-round scheduling and expanded opportunities.
