Sonoma State University’s Campus Recreational Center is commonly known for their weight room, basketball court, and table tennis but what some may not know is that the Recreational Center also offers experiences for students outside of Sonoma State’s campus. This is where the Outdoor Resource Center comes in. 

When entering the Campus Recreation Center, veer left to for the Outdoor Resource Center. The Outdoor Resource Center oversees four areas of the Campus Recreation Center: the rock wall, the challenge course, the outdoor pursuits trips, and a bike shop & outdoor resource center, where equipment such as tents and sleeping bags can be rented. 

The Outdoor Resource Center’s goal this year is to educate students on respecting the outdoors. Workshops are being put in place to teach students the different tools they need before embarking on adventures. 

“This term we are having five workshops. The first one is Leave No Trace, this is a seven rule principle that all land agencies follow. It is essentially about leaving a space better than you found it and not increasing impact when we are outside. You are expected to follow these rules when you are on state and federal land” said Reed Mathieson, Sonoma State’s Outdoor Coordinator. 

The first workshop, Leave No Trace, is scheduled to be on Sept. 19th at 7 p.m.. The workshop will be taught by the Outdoor Resource Center’s Michelle Villasenor.

“This is the first year we have done workshops here,” said Villasenor. “We are really trying to get the educational aspect of the Outdoor Resource Center into our community. I feel like a lot of people use our resources and go on trips and we want these people to leave the land better than how they found it.”

The workshops that are being held in tandem with the department’s Outdoor Pursuits trips. These trips offer students the opportunity to backpack, camp, hike, kayak, and much more at destinations for a discounted price. The idea is that these workshops will help students learn how to respect nature and get them more interested and excited to go on these trips. Some trips set for the coming semester are: an ocean clean up at Muir Beach, snow camping in Mount Shasta, a day hike at Armstrong Redwoods, and bioluminescent kayaking in Tomales Bay. All of which are available to all students to sign up for. 

Brent Tovren, an employee at the Outdoor Resource Center, explained that most of the time, items that are checked out will come back in great condition. The times that they are not, are typically due to students not being educated on how to properly take care of the gear. The workshops being incorporated this semester will provide students with the information on how to take care of the gear and the environment around them. 

The workshops vary in what they will be teaching students.

“We also have a workshop about camp hygiene. It’s about pooping in the woods and making sure you don’t get other people sick while you are cooking and a lot of other regulations on where and when we do our business in regards to water sources, trails and all sorts of things in campsites,” said Mathieson. 

There are also workshops coming up on bike maintenance where the Outdoor Resource Center will teach how to maintain a bike that way it will not need to go to the shop. As well as how to pack a backpack.

“It is very simple but can help reduce strain on your back and is a good opportunity for students to bring things they would bring on a backpacking trip and see if they are actually necessary items. When going on long trips, people tend to over pack with things that are not needed,” said Mathieson. 

These tips will reduce neck and back strains and allow for a more enjoyable experience in the outdoors. 

The last workshop is the basics of camping for beginners. This will include how to pick a campsite, how to tie simple knots, and calorie counting to make sure you have a successful tip.

The Outdoor Resource Center is excited to have these new workshops added into their programs and looks forward to teaching students about how they can do their part for the world around them. This will be a great resource on campus for all students to attend that want to learn more.