Our mission is to preserve the natural beauty of Lake Lacawac, its watershed and surrounding lands, to conduct long-term research on natural systems as part of a global effort to understand and protect the Earth’s biodiversity, and to increase appreciation of this effort through innovative, field-based educational programs for students, teachers, and the community. Nestled on five hundred fifty acres near the shores of Lake Wallenpaupack in the Northern Poconos, Lacawac Sanctuary is a mix between an environmental education center, nature center, and biological field station.

Visitors have the opportunity to enjoy a rich outdoor education and exposure to a blend of diverse habitats including wetlands, open fields, forests, and lakes. 

To fulfill our mission of Research, Education and Preservation, Lacawac offers environmental education and public programs to the community, educating environmental stewards by communicating the core values of environmental responsibility, citizenship, inclusiveness, and the pursuit of knowledge. 

Lacawac works with a consortium of colleges and universities to provide research partnerships and a pristine location for undergraduate and graduate research. 

Lacawac also provides 9 miles of hiking trails open to the public, free of charge, from dawn to dusk year-round.  

The Sanctuary is a "Hub for EONS", ecological observatory networks that are connecting the public, regional lake associations, and lake managers to the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) and other EONS. The Pocono Lake Ecological Observatory Network (PLEON) offers workshops and lake sampling guidance and service to lakes throughout the region and incorporates educational opportunities for students and the public.

Check out these videos about Lacawac: