Family Nature Summits are annual gatherings that offer a mix of environmental and outdoor education and adventure, with notable environmental and wildlife educators providing classes and activities for adults and children. Called "Conservation Summits" until 2000, the National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over four million members and supporters, and 48 state and territorial affiliated organizations...

 (NWF) held the first Summit (a harbinger of present day ecotourism

Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...

 and green living trends) on July 20–25, 1970 at the YMCA of the Rockies, Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park located in the north-central region of the U.S. state of Colorado.It features majestic mountain views, a variety of wildlife, varied climates and environments—from wooded forests to mountain tundra—and easy access to back-country trails...

, Colorado. There have been 111 Summits since 1970, with notable environmental educators, naturalists, authors and artists such as Robert Michael Pyle

Robert Michael Pyle

Robert Michael Pyle is a lepidopterist and author who has published twelve books and hundreds of papers, essays, stories and poems. He has a Ph.D. from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. He founded the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in 1974...

, Jim Halfpenny, Clare Walker Leslie, Roger Tory Peterson

Roger Tory Peterson

Roger Tory Peterson , was an American naturalist, ornithologist, artist, and educator, and held to be one of the founding inspirations for the 20th century environmental movement.-Background:...

, Annie Tiberio Cameron, Steve Torbit , and Craig Tufts serving as faculty at many of the Summits. The organization's objectives focus on entertaining educational nature programming for youth, teens, and young adults, led by nationally recognized environmental educators such as Steve Houser, recipient of the 2009 Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award For Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching.

Summits have been held in Alaska, California, Michigan, West Virginia, Maine, New York, Colorado, Utah, three Canadian provinces, and elsewhere. In 2006, dozens of longtime Summiteers formed a non-profit corporation to take over the project from NWF. Family Summits, Inc. has produced five Family Nature Summits as an independent organization, in Black Mountain, North Carolina

Black Mountain, North Carolina

Black Mountain is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,511 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is named for the Black Mountain range of the Blue Ridge range in the Southern Appalachians.-History:Black...

 in 2007, Mt. Hood, Oregon in 2008, the YMCA of the Adirondacks in Silver Bay, New York

Silver Bay, New York

Silver Bay is a hamlet in the town of Hague in Warren County, New York, United States. It lies on a small bay on Lake George and is the site of a YMCA conference center. The conference center is one of only a few of its type in the United States and is host to many large groups throughout the year....

 in 2009, the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Tahoe City, California

Tahoe City, California

Tahoe City is an unincorporated community in Placer County, California. Tahoe City is located on Lake Tahoe, southeast of Donner Pass. It lies at an elevation of 6250 feet ....

 on Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...

 in 2010, and near Potosi, Missouri

Potosi, Missouri

Potosi is a city in Washington County, Missouri, United States. Potosi is about 10 miles north of Belgrade. The estimated population in July 2008 was 2,698. It was 2,662 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...

 at the YMCA of the Ozarks

Sunnen Foundation

The Sunnen Foundation is a charitable foundation which was established by machinery manufacturer Joseph Sunnen in 1953. The foundation is managed by a board of trustees made up of Sunnen family members and company employees. Michael Haughey is president and Matt Kreider is chairman of Sunnen...

 in 2011. From July 7-13, 2012, a Summit will be held at Rocky Mountain National Park and the YMCA of the Rockies near Estes Park, Colorado

Estes Park, Colorado

Estes Park is a town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. A popular summer resort and the location of the headquarters for Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park lies along the Big Thompson River. Estes Park had a population of 5,858 at the 2010 census...

.