National Park Service seeks to rebuild Whiskeytown Environmental School with fire resilience and sustainability in mind

Contact: National Park Service Pacific West Region Public Affairs Office

WHISKEYTOWN, Calif. - Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is seeking public comments on its vision for rebuilding Whiskeytown Environmental School after the devastating megafire of 2018 and subsequent burn scar flooding.

The public comment period for the Whiskeytown Environmental School Rebuild Environmental Assessment is open now through February 21, 2026. During this time, the public may read the full environmental assessment and provide input at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WES_Rebuild.

In addition to submitting input online, the public is welcome to participate in the public meeting scheduled at noon on Saturday, February 7 at Hatcher Hall, located on the campus of Whiskeytown Environmental School.

"Whiskeytown Environmental School is an important part of the Shasta County community," notes Park Superintendent Josh Hoines. "We are excited to be moving the ball forward on this WES Rebuild and we invite public input in this process."

The proposed action will allow for expanded educational programming at WES from daytime only to week-long overnight. Specifically, the cabins destroyed in 2018 by the Carr Fire as well as other features of the campus will be rebuilt and brought up to safety, health, and environmental code.

The residential outdoor school will use concrete building materials to the greatest extent possible and be made into a model of environmental sustainability and climate resilience deep into the 21st Century. Additionally, an administrative building including camp office at the entrance to the school will greatly enhance student safety and site security. Site flow and accessibility will also be improved.

The WES Rebuild culminates years of research and planning with park and community partners including the Shasta County Office of Education and the Whiskeytown Environmental School Community. The goal has been how best to restore the popular residential campus that has served over 137,000 Shasta County residents since its official opening back in 1971.

Ultimately, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area seeks this WES Rebuild project to: help grow new generations of park stewards; teach young people about science and scientific inquiry; enable local students to gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the natural world they are a part of; further increase local and national conservation and environmental protection efforts; and continue the legacy of learning at Whiskeytown Environmental School for the benefit of the larger community.

For questions, please contact the National Park Service Pacific West Region's Public Affairs Office at [email protected].

Whiskeytown Environmental School Rebuild Frequently Asked Questions...

1. Hasn't Whiskeytown Environmental School already reopened? Why is this WES Rebuild project needed?

While the campus reopened to daytime programming in 2021, the school cannot operate overnight without cabins and an up-to-code mess hall. The signature experience for students at Whiskeytown Environmental School has been week-long, residential (overnight) outdoor education, and this is what the National Park Service seeks to bring back. Most of the camp's cabins were destroyed in the 2018 megafire.

2. How will the WES Rebuild make the campus more climate resilient and environmentally sustainable?

Concrete building material is fire-resistent will be used to the greatest extent possible. Building and site improvements will abide by the National Park Service's Green Parks Plan and Wildland Urban Interface Code.

3. Why not rebuild Whiskeytown Environmental School outside of the park, off of federal land?

After analyzing 32 areas within Shasta County and beyond that Whiskeytown Environmental School could potentially be moved to, the Shasta County Office of Education (SCOE) determined that the WES site within Whiskeytown National Recreation Area remains the ideal location. SCOE notes that the current location of the camp is ideal because it is in close proximity to Redding and emergency services, is an existing facility with substantial stream access and an adequate trail system and has substantial support from the park in terms of safety and site maintenance.

4. How will the WES Rebuild be funded?

While the national recreation area is seeking internal funding sources to rebuild and professionalize the WES campus, internal funding is challenging as the park competes with many other national park units for a limited amount of money. As such, Whiskeytown Environmental School Community, a non-profit organization and philanthropic partner of the park, has been growing community support including financial support for the rebuild. To learn more about WES Community visit https://www.wescommunity.org/.

5. Who is SCOE?

SCOE is the Shasta County Office of Education. While Whiskeytown Environmental School is officially part of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and while all the buildings on campus belong to the park, SCOE is the long-term partner and operator of the school. SCOE oversees, schedules, and facilitates all educational programming at WES.

6. Is Whiskeytown Environmental School open to the public?

To protect youth, the campus is closed to the public when school programs are in session.

7. What is the history of WES?

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area was established in 1965, and Whiskeytown Environmental School was officially opened and dedicated in 1971. WES is one of the oldest federally managed environmental education schools in the nation and was established at the height of the modern environmental movement. Numerous Shasta County adults and even park staff fondly recall their week-long camp experience at the environmental school. To learn more about Whiskeytown Environmental School's history visit https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f33854eafb534ef6b992cbe4699430ef.

About Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is one of approximately 430 parks within the National Park System of the United States. The national recreation area was established in 1965 to provide outdoor recreation opportunities for the public and to conserve Whiskeytown Lake and surrounding habitat. The park is home to an immensity of over 1100 different native plant species and several historic and prehistoric sites associated with the Wintu People and California Gold Rush. Whiskeytown is visited by around one million people each year and visitors primarily come to enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, camping, and mountain biking.