Youth Education: Youth Conservation Camps

Our camps provide positive educational outdoor experiences, foster an appreciation for nature, and introduce a variety of careers in natural resources and conservation.

Professionals from various agencies present programs on topics like wildlife, habitat, water quality, fisheries, forestry, orienteering, and canoeing. These professionals, as well as adult volunteers, serve as overnight staff and group leaders for the duration of camp.

Campers can make new friends, participate in hands-on activities, practice social & leadership skills, enjoy the outdoors, and just have fun!

Campers spent their days participating in team-building exercises and exploring one of the four stations Scales, Scutes and Skins, Invasive Species, Nature Crafts and Archery. Campers rotated in groups where they had the opportunity to hike Blackhawk Island and explore its vast history, canoe down the Wisconsin River and participate in an Outdoor Survival/Orienteering session. Each evening campers gathered around the campfire to sing songs and participate in skits while feasting on smores and pudgy pies. Campers also had fun swimming, fishing, playing water carnival games and ghost in the graveyard.

Other highlights of camp included a visit from Cory Gritzmacher and Tilia, a special conservation dog from the Mequon Nature Preserve. Tilia is trained to sniff out invasive species like wild parsnip, salamanders and wood turtles. Campers also learned about how the use of worms- Vermicomposting breaks down food scraps, leaves and paper and converts it into natural fertilizer.

Camp wrapped up with a fun game of Preditor Prey where they learned about habitat and the food chain. After camp awards, it was time to say goodbye to the campers and hello to their families. It was a fun few days and we hope they had a fun time meeting new friends and making lots of fun memories.

After a huge rainstorm moved through, we started with introductions and ice-breaker games.

Campers had fun tie-dying their camp shirts followed by canoe lessons and t-rescues at Statehouse Lake. Campers learned about the importance of Pollinators with a Pollinator Presentation from a local pollinator expert. Following the presentation, campers got to build and decorate their own pollinator boxes to take home and enjoyed an evening movie about the plight and importance of
pollinators.

Highlights of camp included a trip to Saxon Harbor, rock collecting and swimming in Lake Superior as well as a canoe trip down Trout River where some campers had the opportunity to put their t-rescues to good use.

We enjoyed a trip to Crystal Lake Nature Center where we learned about local shoreline restoration efforts and explored limnology collecting macro invertebrates.

Throughout camp, students had an opportunity to learn about limnology, research and many other careers in conservation. During their free time campers enjoyed sunrise fishing, swimming, playing music and cards and painting rocks. Our final night of camp was spent singing songs around the campfire and making s’mores.

We wrapped up camp with fishing awards and campers had an opportunity to say goodbye to their friends before greeting their families. We had a great group of students and we hope they enjoyed their time, learned more about conservation and made lots of new friends and memories.

We want to thank all the camp counselors for both the middle school and high school camps who helped make this year’s camps a success. We couldn’t do it without your involvement, time and passion for conservation and kids. We would also like to acknowledge and thank the many County Land +Water Conservation Departments, the Brad Matson Scholarship Fund, Transcendent Technologies, Fond du Lac Audubon Society and the Green County Conservation League that provided camp scholarships to campers to attend the Middle School and High School Camps.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Brad Matson Memorial Conservation Camp Scholarship
 

In honor of Iron County Supervisor and WI Land+Water Board of Directors member Brad Matson, the Youth Education Committee established a camp scholarship in his name. Brad was a passionate supporter of conservation programming for youth and his scholarship will give students who otherwise may not have the chance to experience the outdoors the opportunity to attend our conservation summer camps. 

The 2024 Brad Matson Scholarship Application period has now closed. 

County Land & Water Conservation Department Scholarships

Many county land and water conservation departments offer camp scholarships. See if your county's LWCD offers scholarships. The 2024 County Department Scholarship Applications are now closed.

Transcendent Technologies Middle School Camp Scholarship

Thanks to the generous support of Transcendent Technologies (TTech) for offering a scholarship opportunity for middle school campers. Download the TTech Middle School Camp Scholarship Application. The 2024 TTech Scholarship Application period is now closed.