Teachers to lead camas harvest and student camps as hands‑on conservation learning

Myrna Dumontier, a knowledge keeper and cultural educator, described a nearly two‑week place‑based project that brings school groups to Camas Prairie for harvesting, pit‑baking camas and camping with tribal protocols and campfire processing.

"Wednesday, we will be going out into, Camas Prairie and Harvesting Camas," Dumontier told the group, outlining logistics for school transportation, in‑field protocols and the spiritual and healing aspects of the activity.

She said students take part in both practical skills and ceremonial preparation: harvest methods, protocols for asking permission of the land, and post‑harvest processing. Dumontier and other teachers reported that students who participated in previous camps described them as the highlight of their year, and organizers emphasized that the workshops aim to help educators replicate that hands‑on experience.