Thorne Nature Experience, formerly Thorne Ecological Institute, was founded in Boulder, Colorado in 1954 by Dr. Oakleigh Thorne, II and is currently celebrating 60 years of connecting youth to nature through hands-on, place-based environmental education experiences. During the past six decades, Thorne has connected more than 200,000 children, teens, and adults to nature and become a nationally recognized leader in the field of environmental education. Today, Thorne's Summer Camp, In-School Program, and Field Trips reach more than 12,000 Boulder County and Front Range youth each year.