In 2007 Cedar Ridge Camp opened for its first season as a traditional co-ed summer camp and year-round outdoor education and recreation centre. The mission would centre on creating a program that would encourage personal development and growth through a shared outdoor experience. Cedar Ridge's main goals were to promote the formation of close bonds, both amongst individuals and with the surrounding environment; teach the value of teamwork; instil the worth of hard work; and encourage skill acquisition through both work and play. The primary goal of its outdoor education centre was to design programs that would fuse its ethos with the specific aims of each group. Whether working with corporate groups, schools or outdoor enthusiasts Cedar Ridge would concentrate on teambuilding, leadership and environmental education. This article describes how the local environment's attributes--such as the abundance of wildlife, river possibilities in Madawaska region, and the city of Bancroft's natural playgrounds--shaped Cedar Ridge's curriculum development. The wildlife acted as a teaching tool for campers on how to exist harmoniously with the animals; the whitewater allows campers to develop their river skills in a challenging but safe environment; and the infrastructure of the city of Bancroft accommodates winter adventurers. Cedar Ridge intends to make use of these disparate activities, using underutilized tools for a fuller learning experience. As it continues to grow and evolve, it will rely on its teaching axioms while remaining fluid enough to adopt and incorporate the surfeit of natural resources. ["Cedar Ridge Camp: Using the Local Environment" was written with Scott Tavener.]