Students age 14-18 with an interest in rangeland management, conservation, ecology, animal science, and wildlife are encouraged to attend the 59th Nebraska Youth Range Camp at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, NE.
Rangelands cover nearly 50% of the state of Nebraska. They are used by not only beef cattle but wildlife and humans. In addition to providing agricultural products, rangelands also provide wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, sustainable biodiversity, and key environmental functions such as carbon sequestration and water cycling.
The Nebraska Youth Range Camp provides hands-on experience with rangeland and natural resources taught by up to 20 professionals from various agencies, colleges, and universities. With over 55 years to perfect and evolve this curriculum, every student, no matter what prior experience they have, will learn substantial information that will help them become more aware of Nebraska’s most prevalent land use.
Students who attend will participate in field activities, lectures, leadership/team-building activities, and a field trip to a local working ranch. These field trips and activities illustrate different goals and the related range management activities that are implemented to achieve these goals. Each student will be sent home with a binder that is filled with educational materials.
Interested individuals can find more information, the Range Camp application, and the brochure by visiting the Nebraska Society for Range Management’s website at www.nesrm.org and then clicking on the Nebraska Youth Range Camp link on the left of the page or sending an email to Shelly@SandhillsTaskForce.org. Applications need to be submitted by May 26th. Check with your local Natural Resources District (NRD) to see if they have scholarships available.
Nebraska Youth Range Camp is an event that is made possible through the Nebraska Section of the Society for Range Management with assistance from several Nebraska ranches, the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition, the Sandhills Task Force, several of Nebraska’s Natural Resource Districts, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Service and many volunteers.