Camp Quest Florida Homepage

Introducing Camp Quest Florida, a winter secular humanist camp for kids (Families Optional).

Co-ed winter camp for youth ages 8-17 years old.

December 25, 2009 to January 1, 2010 at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Unfortunately, Winter 2009 session had to be cancelled due to insufficient registration. Dates for a future session are being considered.

*** To request information on future sessions,

please contact Ken Loukinen

Lofty Fig (Banyan)

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Planted by Hugh Taylor Birch circa 1914.

Lofty Fig (Banyan Tree) Ficus altissima

Family: Moraceae (Mulberry Family)

Banyan ( fig tree ) seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree (or on structures such as buildings and bridges). Fruit-eating birds disperse the seeds. The seeds send down roots toward the ground, and may envelope part of the host tree or building structure, called "strangler figs." The "strangling" growth habit is found in tropical forest species that compete for light.

Older banyan trees have aerial prop roots. which grow into thick woody trunks. With age, these can become indistinguishable from the main trunk. Old trees can spread out laterally using these prop roots to cover a wide area.

Banyan’s unique fruit structures are dependent on fig wasps for reproduction.

Camp Quest has been the first residential summer camp in the history of the United States for the children of Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists, Brights, or whatever other terms might be applied to those who hold to a naturalistic, not supernatural world view.

The purpose of Camp Quest is to provide children of freethinking parents a residential summer camp dedicated to improving the human condition through rational inquiry, critical thinking and creativity, scientific method, self-respect, ethics, competency, democracy, free speech, and the separation of religion and government guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.