Newspaper Page Text
Page 12 - Wednesday, November 8, 2023
The Jenkins County Times
j enkinscountytimes. com
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4-H offers new Natural
Resources Exploration Camp
By Josie Smith and Alyssa Haag,
Special Contributors
to
The Times
A dozen 4-H’ers from around
Georgia were the first explorers to
experience Georgia 4-H’s newest summer
program — Natural Resources Exploration
Camp — to leam about wildlife, forestry,
fisheries and other natural resources from
University of Georgia faculty.
Hosted in conjunction with
UGA’s Wamell School of Forestry and
Natural Resources, the Natural Resources
Exploration Camp offered participants
a glimpse into the diverse professional
and educational resources UGA offers
while exploring career possibilities in the
forestry and natural resource field. The
unique camp combined environmental
education with traditional camp activities
including canoeing, fishing, swimming and
campfires.
Faculty and staff from Wamell designed
the curriculum for the camp, which is
stmetured to provide opportunities to leam
about Georgia’s animal populations and
habitats, including real-world examples
and practical applications of the lessons
presented. Faculty and staff including Kris
Irwin, Michel Kohl, Jay Shelton, James
Johnson, NickFuhrman, Adam Edge, Holly
Campbell and Triston Hansford were
cmcial to the success of the camp’s pilot
week.
Campers spent two days on UGA’s
Athens campus performing tree and
wildlife identification, using trail cameras
to leam about mammals in the area, flying
drones, touring deer bams and aquaculture
labs, setting up leaf litter traps in streams,
and attending a session on herpetology.
At Rock Eagle 4-H Center, campers
dissected owl pellets, went on an owl
prowl, sampled fish and macroinvertebrates
through electrofishing and seining, tracked
wildlife using geographic information
system (GIS) technology and telemetry,
and building birdhouses and bee hotels.
The UGA Center for Invasive Species and
Ecosystem Health, part of the UGA Tifton
campus, facilitated a workshop about
invasive species.
Kasey Bozeman, UGA Cooperative
Extension specialist for 4-H science
programs, said the partnership with UGA
faculty gives campers a college-level
learning experience.
“It’s inspiring that Wamell’s expert
faculty and staff chose to share their
knowledge and passion with the next
generation of scientists,” Bozeman said.
“Perhaps now more than ever, research-
based youth educational programs related
to our natural resources are critical to our
society’s success.”
The camp, open to 4-H’ers in ninth
through 12th grades, was application based
and 12 youth from 10 counties were selected
to attend the camp’s inaugural session.
Student feedback about the camp was
overwhelmingly positive, said Bozeman,
adding that Georgia 4-H hopes to continue
the camp during the 2024 summer season.
“The 2023 Natural Resources Exploration
Camp was an outstanding experience for all
involved,” said Irwin, who serves as both
associate dean for outreach and Extension
senior public service associate at Wamell.
“The camp would not have been possible
without the leadership and logistical support
provided by the Georgia 4-H faculty and
staff. The success of the camp was also the
result of a collaborative effort between 4-H
and our school’s faculty.”
Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become
tme leaders by developing necessary life
skills, positive relationships and community
awareness. As the premier youth leadership
organization in the state, 4-H reaches
hundreds of thousands of people annually
through UGA Extension offices and 4-H
facilities.
For more information on Natural
Resource Exploration Camp and other
activities, contact your local UGA
Extension office or visit georgia4h.org.
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