SACO — A three-year sponsorship of River Bend Family Camp, construction of a new arrival plaza and a new waterfront area for recreation and environmental education on the Saco River will be funded by a $500,000 gift from L.L. Bean, The Ecology School recently announced.

The school marked the official opening of its campus at River Bend Farm on Simpson Road in North Saco on Earth Day in April.

“We are so grateful for this generous gift from L.L. Bean and energized by the fact that they wanted to invest in our work to invite people of all ages away from their screens and into the outdoors,” said The Ecology School president and co-founder Drew Dumsch in a prepared statement.

Dumsch noted that L.L. Bean’s support of the campus arrival plaza, where those arriving in groups unload their gear, as well as serving as a gathering spot to receive an official welcome; the new waterfront area, and the annual Family Camp is in keeping with the outdoor brand’s commitment to the wellbeing of others through time spent outside.

The River Bend Farm campus project is the result of dozens of generous donors and brought together the state’s top green design, construction, and renewable energy leaders.

“All of these important gifts have allowed us to fulfill our hope of creating a campus of national significance,” said Dumsch of The Ecology School.

News of the L.L. Bean gift comes soon after River Bend Farm’s grand unveiling over Earth Week, which included the opening of a 144-bed, 9,000 square-foot dormitory, the 7,000 square-foot Poland Spring Education and Dining Commons, and “flipping the switch” on a 712-panel solar array that generates 105 percent net positive energy on the 105-acre campus.

“We know that time outside can have a tremendous impact on our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing,” said Shawn Gorman, executive chairman of L.L. Bean in the statement. “We’re proud to partner with The Ecology School as they focus on helping kids of all ages learn about the world around them through an outdoor-first education approach.”

The campus took six years and $14.1 million to build, including contributions from an array of multiple donors, a USDA Rural Development Loan of $8.66 million, and $1.85 million from CEI in long term financing and a $3.6 million capital campaign.

The Ecology School continues to seek additional support for handicapped accessibility features, permaculture landscaping, staff housing, and a new kitchen root cellar for storing produce grown on the farm, according to school officials.

“We are deeply grateful to L.L. Bean and to our many supporters across the country and here in Maine,” said Dumsch. “We believe The Ecology School at River Bend Farm offers an extraordinary example of how institutions can transform historic rural landscapes by honoring the past, while integrating green design, green construction, sustainable living, and agroecology.”

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