Students who are interested in learning more about the outdoors in a hands-on environment while spending a week outside are invited to attend the Ohio Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Camp. The camp will be held June 11-16, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The camp is open to all students who have completed the eighth grade through high school seniors graduating the year of camp, which is held at FFA Camp Muskingum on beautiful Leesville Lake in Carroll County.
“This program is ideal for teens who love the outdoors and want to engage in hands-on learning,” said Robert Boyles, Ohio’s state forester. “The Ohio Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Camp is a great opportunity to begin educating the next generation of caretakers of Ohio’s valuable natural resources.”
Programs at this year’s weeklong resident camp include tree identification, ecology, forest industries, wildlife management, forest management, wildlife law enforcement, wildlife identification and watershed health. New this year will be the opportunity for the students to observe and learn from a recent timber harvest at the camp.
The camp is sponsored by the Ohio Forestry Association Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote the wise management of Ohio’s forests and natural resources. The camp is supported by the ODNR divisions of Wildlife and Forestry, Ohio State University Extension and the county Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs).
Campers spend the week making new friends, participating in fun camp activities and learning about the environment around them. Camp culminates with a comprehensive exam, including a tree identification section. The highest scoring students compete for college scholarships to Hocking College, The Ohio State University and Ohio University.
Sponsorships are available to assist interested students who need help covering the fee. Sponsorships are offered through local SWCD offices, sportsmen’s clubs, forestry groups and many private forestry-sector businesses. Students must register by Friday, June 9, to participate, and registration is now open.
For more information and to register for the Ohio Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Camp, contact the Ohio Forestry Association at 888-38-TREES, or visit the OFA website at ohioforest.org.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
