Generously supported by the Kettle Creek Environmental Fund and numerous service organizations Conservation Camp will be held Saturday, July 20 through Saturday, July 27. Conservation Camp is a week-long residential program held at Stony Acres, a 119-acre Wildlife Sanctuary/Recreational Facility owned by the students of East Stroudsburg University in Marshalls Creek. Conservation Camp is open to students 14 years old to this year's high school graduates and provides young people with hands-on classroom and field instruction covering many aspects of natural resource conservation and management.
A wide range of programs are scheduled for camp week. Topics include reptiles and amphibians, forestry, trapshooting and firearm safety, stream study, archery, wetlands study, soils and land use, and many others. Presenters include the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Tobyhanna Conservation Association, Blue Ridge/Cherry Valley Rod and Gun Club, National Park Service, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, and Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
Campers will also have the opportunity to experience the Delaware River during a two-day, overnight canoe trip. Programs covering river ecology, water quality, and history of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will be presented during this 26-mile river journey. Bald eagles, otters, deer, and other wildlife have been observed on this trip. Another camp highlight is the confidence course where campers are challenged on a series of high ropes elements. This exciting camp concludes with Family Day on Saturday afternoon when campers and their families gather for lunch and a ceremony to recognize the achievements of the campers.
Cost: $200, which includes the $75 application fee and the $125 camp fee. The application fee must be paid by the student and included with the application. The camp fee may be paid by the student, a sponsoring organization, or by a scholarship. A limited amount of scholarships are available by request. For application forms and more information, contact the Monroe County Conservation District at 570-629-3061, visit our website at www.mcconservation.org or email us at rspotts@ptd.net.
For more information, call the Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 570-629-3061. For more information on other programs we offer visit our website at www.mcconservation.org.