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The Teva Complex offers three new buildings as jumping off places to explore
nature at Tamarack.

Focus On Nature

Tamarack’s new Teva nature complex
brings campers back to learn more.

Danny Schwartz | JN Intern

S

ince 1902, Tamarack Camps in
Ortonville (Camp Maas) has
been a leader in Jewish camp-
ing for ages 7-15, offering a variety of
activities including sports, drama, group
games, waterfront, swimming and Jewish
programming immersed throughout the
day.
Tamarack offers outdoor education
programs during the summer at Camp
Maas and yearlong for the community.
Taking center stage for teaching about
nature, the environment and sustain-
ability is the addition of the new Teva
(Hebrew for nature) Complex.
“We’ve had a nature
program for more
than 50 years,” said
Bailey Lininger, nature
center and program
supervisor. “This is an
exciting new chapter
and with the open-
ing of the new Teva
Bailey Lininger Complex, Tamarack’s
Teva program has
been given a chance to shine.”
The new complex came about
because of a generous donation from the
Merle Harris family and hard work by
Tamarack Camps staff and board, who
envisioned a sustainably designed nature
complex to offer space in the center of
camp for campers and visitors to connect
with and learn about the natural world.
The nature complex has three buildings
along with a large covered firepit area.
Most programs take place in the main

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18 August 11 • 2016

building, the Shirley and Merle Harris
Nature Center, designed with environ-
mental and sustainability concepts (like a
living roof) that make it feel a part of the
landscape. This building also houses the
animals — a goal is to have rehabilitated
Midwestern native animals, including a
red-tail hawk and a snowy owl.
The second building, as yet unfinished,
houses a kitchen where food education
programming will take place.
“Most kids have very little idea where
their food comes from and what goes
into making food,” Lininger said. “A lot
of kids think food just comes from the
grocery store and nowhere else.”
Cooking and baking programs will
include baking challah and hamantashen
and other activities that connect Jewish
culture to cooking and food.
The third building is the only one not
built for year-round use. And no specific
programming is dedicated to this multi-
purpose space. During the summer, it
will mostly be used for Jewish program-
ming.
“One of the big things we’ve been
doing this summer is refocusing what
Teva means to campers,” Lininger said.
“In addition to having animals for camp-
ers to interact with (a mainstay of the
original Teva program), the new program
focuses on fun, hands-on experiences
that encourage campers to explore the
1,200 acres of Tamarackk Camps prop-
erty that is filled with forests, ponds and
marshes.
“Our new programs offer night hikes,
wild, edible plant hikes, recycled art proj-
ects and learning about animal tracking.