Area Students Attend Youth Conservation Camp

Published 7:33 pm Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Each year, area students are given an opportunity to attend a week-long camp held at Virginia Tech. This camp is an educational experience that includes a trip to Claytor Lake State Park to learn about fisheries, lake ecology, land use and wetlands. Students hike up to the Cascades Waterfall and tour the Forest Products Center, Lane Stadium Turf grass management and witness a beekeeping demonstration. They also travel to the Agriculture Research Farm to learn about agricultural best management practices, water quality workshops and tour the Dairy Science & Swine Centers. A visit to the Mountain Lake Wildlife area affords them the opportunity to investigate forestry and wildlife issues, tree identification, wildlife research techniques and urban forestry demonstrations. As they enjoy a day of canoeing, they learn about stream morphology, shoreline erosion and use GIS technology to participate in a scavenger hunt and visit the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Southside SWCD sponsored Casey Tharpe, of Drakes Branch, and Flint Lewis, of Green Bay, this year to attend the week-long camp. The camp was held at Virginia Tech the week of July 12 -18.

Casey stated, “Youth Conservation Camp was amazing and an eye-opening experience for me. I enjoyed learning about conservation.” 

Flint was selected as the Male Camper of the Week. He said, “I learned so much about soil erosion, stream health and indicator species, as well as so many other conservation and natural resource topics.”

Southside Soil and Water Conservation District offers sponsorship to students to attend Youth Conservation Camp at Virginia Tech every year.  Students from Charlotte and Lunenburg counties in grades 9-12 are eligible to submit an application.

Additional information about Youth Conservation Camp can be obtained by contacting Julie Hamlett, Southside SWCD, (434) 542-5405, ext. 1.