Programs
The mission of Boxerwood Education Association is "to educate and inspire people of all ages to become environmentally responsible stewards of the Earth." We carry out this life-affirming work through our main program pathways plus various side branches, directly engaging more than 3,000 friends and neighbors each year.
Youth Programs
Boxerwood connects all Rockbridge-area children with high-quality outdoor experiences across their growing up years. It’s our community’s way of raising an entire generation of young people with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to care for the Earth. These efforts take place both during and beyond the school day and throughout the year.
School Partnerships
Nurturing Environmental Stewardship Together (NEST) is the name of our long-running partnership with all 12 local public schools and 17 preschools. Project NEST provides a sequential, multi-grade curriculum that gets 2,600 children out the classroom and into the field each year, from preschool through high school.
Clubs & Camps
Many children participating in NEST school-day programs deepen their connections with nature through Boxerwood-led afterschool clubs, camps, family events, and even an annual trip to the Bay for 7th graders. These opportunities vary by year and take place at Boxerwood and across our beautiful county.
Community Programs
Caring for the Earth is everyone’s privilege and responsibility. Thinking globally, yet acting locally, Boxerwood helps people of all ages express their ecological values through shared stewardship projects that make a difference. Whether diverting food waste from the landfill, helping city residents plant trees, or tending the good earth at Boxerwood, there are many ways we encourage our community to express love for all of life!
Natural Burial
Boxerwood operates a natural burial ground serving our community since 2014. This program honors and promotes natural life cycles; enhances and preserves habitats; and models the merits and methods of natural end-of-life processes. Burials involve a cloth shroud, a simple wooden box, or cremated remains. Many families find consolation and connection in these gentle Earth-honoring practices.
Seasonal Programs
Music in the Garden
For more than ten years, friends and families have gathered on warm summer evenings to enjoy great local music in a relaxing atmosphere. The outdoor concerts are kid and pet-friendly, affordable, easily accessible, and welcoming to all.
Pumpkin Walk
Our beloved Pumpkin Walk features hundreds of community-carved pumpkins aglow in the Garden. This 2-night happening brings together hundreds of young families to celebrate homegrown creativity. The next Pumpkin Walk is October 2026.
Gifts of Nature
This annual December workshop rings in the holidays with care for winter birds. Boxerwood provides vines, berries, greenery, raffia, and other supplies. Families enjoy hot cider while fashioning take-home wreaths, suet-and-seed pinecones, and more.