23rd Annual Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp, July 11th-16th, 2010

The future decisions of how our natural resources will be managed will be made by the youth of today. For more than 20 years, the Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp has provided youth an opportunity to study in an outdoor setting the scientific principles, economic realities, historical heritage, and social perspectives of today, to help these future leaders in their quest to gain a natural resources perspective that is  informed and progressive.

Campers spend one week (July 11-16, 2010) in the rustic setting of the Lubrecht Experimental Forest east of Missoula and learn about Montana’s natural resources. The students learn about wildlife, forestry, streams, soils, geology, range management, and multiple land use, and spend a half-day rafting the Alberton Gorge of the Clark Fork River.
In between the field sessions, taught largely by professionals that volunteer from a variety of natural resources based agencies and industries, specialty evening programs, guest speakers, hands-on learning-through-discovery, and campfires provide for a lasting summer camp experience.

Student teams also compete in a Land-Use-Game where they manage a 3,400 acre ranch for 20 years. As in real life teams must make hard choices between profits and conservation ethics, especially if they face poor commodity prices. Most students enjoy the competition and have the typical reaction of “Wow, I never knew that making a living by managing land was so hard.”

Enrollment is open now and campers are accepted on a first-come basis. The full cost of the camp is $175.00 which includes meals, supplies, and lodging. Campers are encouraged to contact their local Conservation District for sponsorship which will cover much of the camp cost.

Link to the camp website: http://www.mnryc.org
Link to color poster and handouts: http://www.mnryc.org/download.html
Link to the registration information: http://www.mnryc.org/download/MNRYCApplicationPackage.pdf
To find out about your local Conservation District, see here: http://www.macdnet.org/mtlinks.htm

For more information please contact Martin Twer, MSU Extension Forestry (phone 406-243-2775 or email martin.twer@cfc.umt.edu).