Sixteen young nature enthusiasts gathered in Woodbury recently to explore the outdoors, take part in traditional camp activities and learn from experts in various natural resources fields.

As participants in the 18th annual Natural Resources Management Academy, July11-13, the teens spent three days discovering the natural world at the Green Mountain Conservation Camp at Buck Lake. University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H and the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife sponsored the academy, which was open to anyone entering Grades 7 to 11 this fall with an interest in natural resources and the environment.

several campers examining lake water, standing at the edge of a lake
Patrick Knapp (blue life jacket) and Bayden MacAllister, both from Morrisville, seine for macroinvertebrates, indicators of water quality, at the Natural Resources Management Academy, held July 11 to 13 in Woodbury. Looking on (left to right) are Brody McAllister, Morrisville; Weston Kosharek, Fairfax; and workshop presenter, Sabrina Koetter, Lake Champlain Sea Grant Watershed Alliance. (photo: Camille Kauffman/UVM Extension 4-H)

The jam-packed weekend focused on interactive workshops and learn-by-doing activities as well as outdoor recreation including fishing, swimming, canoeing and hiking. The campers, who bunked in rustic cabins, also enjoyed evening campfires and s’mores.

Lorne Currier, a Green Mountain Club volunteer and education coordinator, taught participants about trail sustainability and maintenance basics and shared a bit of history about the Long Trail in Vermont. With Sabrina Koetter, a Lake Champlain Sea Grant Watershed Alliance graduate assistant, they canoed on Buck Lake, using Secchi disks to measure water clarity. They also took water samples to look for macroinvertibrates and to test water quality, including pH and dissolved oxygen.

a group of kids posing in front of trees
Participants at the Natural Resources Management Academy, held July 11 to 13 in Woodbury, gathered for a group photo. They were: Front row (left to right): Izzy Hatch, Groton; Kinzi Grindle, St. Albans; Olivia Guevin, Brandon; Sevvi Bickerstaff, Morrisville; Mackenzie Irish, Essex Junction; Weston Kosharek, Fairfax; and Izzy Guevin, Brandon. Back row: Gabrielle Senecal, Fairfax; Charlotte Salo, Bondville; Clover Bowker, Essex Junction; Anderson LeBlanc and Weston LeBlanc, both from Essex Junction; Xavier Louis, Colchester; Brody McAllister, Bayden McAllister and Patrick Knapp, all from Morrisville. (photo: Camille Kauffman/UVM Extension 4-H)

UVM Extension 4-H educator Jacob Holzberg-Pill took the group owling to search for barred owls and learn about their habitat and calls. Jon Jose, Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District coordinator, presented a workshop on the basics of composting, describing the stages of compost and inviting campers to study compost through microscopes. He also talked about solid waste districts in Vermont and how they dispose of waste in a safe, environmentally sound manner.

campers examining soil samples at a picnic table
Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District Coordinator Jon Jose (right) talks about composting with campers at the Natural Resources Management Academy, held July 11 to 13 in Woodbury. Taking part in the workshop were Charlotte Salo, Bondville; Mackenzie Irish, Essex Junction; Kinzi Grindle, St. Albans; and Xavier Louis, Colchester (seated). (photo: Camille Kauffman/UVM Extension 4-H)

At the conclusion of the academy, each participant received a certificate and a field guide as a graduation gift.

Participants, by county, were:

  • CALEDONIA: Izzy Hatch, Groton
  • CHITTENDEN: Clover Bowker and Mackenzie Irish, both from Essex Junction; Anderson and Weston LeBlanc, Shelburne; Xavier Louis, Colchester
  • FRANKLIN: Kinzi Grindle, St. Albans; Gabrielle Senecal and Weston Kosharek, both from Fairfax
  • LAMOILLE: Sevvi Bickerstaff, Patrick Knapp and Bayden and Brody McAllister, all from Morrisville
  • RUTLAND: Izzy and Olivia Guevin, Brandon; Charlotte Salo, Bondville

The academy was coordinated by UVM Extension 4-H Educator Camille Kauffman. To learn more about the Vermont 4-H natural resources program, contact her at camille.kauffman@uvm.edu.