Those who are not too familiar with the local landscape may drive by a site just west of the intersection of Kasold Drive and Bob Billings Parkway and wonder about the “wilderness” area just to the north.

It is the site of the local Girl Scouts’ Hidden Valley campgrounds that have contributed to the education and enjoyment of thousands of youngsters over the years. Just recently, another summer camp session was conducted with as many as 300 girls taking part along with advisers and guides. There are events throughout the year.

We can only hope that Hidden Valley will always be there and that thousands more youngsters will be able to savor its offerings. But bear in mind that prime real estate is involved and that the time could come when the financial offer for the property is too great to ignore. Let’s hope it never comes to this, but it is happening elsewhere in the country.

People in the “camp industry” and preservation advocates have seen one camp property after another gobbled up for other urban uses.

“Over the past 20 years, within 100 miles of Chicago, we have been losing camps at the rate of more than one per year,” says Paul Botts, Chicago program director of the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, which promotes land conservation.

Many are seeking spots for residential and commercial developments and some of the bigger camps are targets for developers of estate homes.

“There is immense pressure from real estate development, especially the closer they are to a metropolitan area or a vacation hot spot where people want land,” says Gordie Kaplan, an expert on camping sites and procedures. Kaplan adds that the financial crunch is particularly acute for camps, like the one in Lawrence, run by non-profit groups.

Rising costs for transportation, food and labor make it difficult to maintain the camps and camp attendance is dwindling in some areas because of the many summer activities available for children. Then there is the problem of kids “wired” to too many indoor activities.

“Kids have a new disorder, call it nature-deficit disorder,” says Russ Senti, camp director for the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center near Oregon, Ill. “They don’t get out into nature anymore. They’re behind computers and in front of television sets.”

So far, such things haven’t diminished the popularity and participation at Hidden Valley. As attractive as the site would be for residential or commercial development, the camp’s mission of exposing youngsters to outdoor activities also is a wonderful asset for the community. It’s our hope that Hidden Valley will be able to pursue that mission for many years to come.