About NatureBridge

Connecting youth to the natural world

We are NatureBridge, formerly Yosemite National Institutes. For nearly 40 years, we have led the way in residential field science and environmental education for America’s youth. Our organization is built to last. Powered by a combination of earned revenue and the philanthropic support of partners, institutional donors and individual contributors, we are highly sustainable and adaptable.

Our mission is to inspire personal connections to the natural world and responsible actions to sustain it. 

We are educating the next generation of leaders to respect the natural world, understand the scientific principles that govern it, and preserve it for future generations.

• We are the largest nonprofit, residential education partner of the National Park Service.
• We currently operate four environmental education campuses in some of the most stunning places on earth.
• Each year we help more than 30,000 youth from diverse backgrounds find personal connections to nature through field science education, youth leadership, and teacher training programs   

Our campuses bridge the gap

Yosemite National Park. Olympic National Park. Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. These are the places in which we connect youth to nature and inspire them to:

• discover that science is a key that unlocks the secrets of the natural world.
• realize the importance of conservation and their personal power to make a difference.
• engage in a deep exploration of self and community.
• develop a life-changing personal connection to the natural world around them.

We have become the bridge to new learning opportunities that enhance scientific skills and change lives.

• More than 85% of NatureBridge schools return every year with their students and are actively integrating our program into their academic cultures and curriculums.
• More than 35% of these schools receive partial or full financial assistance.

Our curriculum aligns with state and federal standards and includes many subjects including earth and marine science, watershed ecology, geology, and local cultural history. All NatureBridge programs are guided by our Core Educational Framework, which actively engages all senses and builds academic, social, and emotional skills.