April 6, 2026
Media Advisory: See renovations at Camp Cooper ahead of Earth Day ribbon-cutting
- What: Media are invited to see the Cooper Center for Environmental Learning's renovations – including a set of cabins built with hemp – ahead of the center's Earth Day ribbon-cutting community event.
- When: April 9, 9:30 a.m.
- Where: Cooper Center for Environmental Learning, 5403 W. Trails End Road, in Tucson Mountain Park.
- RSVP: Media who wish to attend may RSVP to Rowan Cassarly at rcassarly@arizona.edu.
TUCSON, Ariz. — The Cooper Center for Environmental Learning, a favorite field-trip destination for generations of Tucson children, invites the media to view renovations on its April 9 media day. The media event offers a first look at the largest hemp-lime construction project in the U.S., an environmental design that makes these cabins a model for sustainable education spaces in Southern Arizona. A formal ribbon cutting will take place at an Earth Day celebration event on Saturday, April 18, ahead of Earth Day on April 22.
The center, known to many as Camp Cooper, has served as an outdoor classroom in the Tucson Mountains on the west side for more than 60 years. The University of Arizona College of Education and the Tucson Unified School District operate the center together, bringing more than 3,000 kids a year from across Southern Arizona to the 10-acre site to learn about the wonders of the Sonoran Desert.
The cabin project incorporates cutting-edge, eco-friendly building techniques, including hemp construction materials from Old Pueblo Hemp Co., natural plaster finishes from Originate, and other energy-efficient design elements such as reclaimed wood for bunk beds. These features not only reduce environmental impact but also serve as hands-on teaching tools for the thousands of students who visit Camp Cooper each year to learn about sustainability, conservation, and the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. Improvements to the cabins are funded primarily by the 2023 voter-approved TUSD bond.
"The new cabins represent a major step forward in our mission to create meaningful outdoor learning opportunities," said Colin Waite, director of Camp Cooper.
Media attendees will have the opportunity to tour the cabins, capture photo and video footage, and speak with Camp Cooper leadership and project building partners, such as Chasse Construction, about the vision behind the project and its role in expanding access to outdoor education. With the cabins nearing completion, the Cooper Center looks forward to resuming overnight programming and deepening its impact on local students and the Tucson community.
"Camp Cooper is a shining example of the University of Arizona's land grant mission in action," said Regina Deil-Amen, dean of the College of Education. "This effort collaborates with our K-12 education system in meaningful ways to equip children in our local schools with knowledge and appreciation of our desert ecosystem, which has implications for future leadership regarding water resources, climate and sustainability, and the natural and built environment."
Media attendees will hear from:
- Colin Waite, director, Cooper Center for Environmental Learning
- Charlotte Carter, TUSD bond program manager
Media contact:
Rowan Cassarly
Cooper Center for Environmental Learning
352-316-3066
rcassarly@arizona.edu
Established in 1885, the University of Arizona is the state's flagship, land-grant institution. The U of A ranks among America's top institutions, focusing on student access and success while driving a $1 billion research enterprise and engaging communities throughout the state, nation and world. As a leading Research 1 institution and member of the Association of American Universities, the U of A advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships. With two accredited medical schools, designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, recognition as a premier university for service members, distinguished programs in management information systems, planetary sciences, dance, photography, and public and applied humanities, the U of A offers the world to its students while uplifting Arizona.