Nevada Youth Range Camp
By Chris Jasmine

Students learning about the importance of Nevada's rangelands

Tomorrow’s natural resource managers are today’s youth.  The next BLM Range Specialist or the next big name cow boss is currently in Nevada’s high schools learning algebra, English and how to dissect frogs.  Some of these students may already know they want a career in natural resource management, others may not have decided that yet. 

Either way, the Nevada Youth Range Camp (NYRC) is an exciting way for high school age students to learn about natural resource management in Nevada.  Since 1961, hundreds of Nevada's youth have participated in the program. Today, many former campers manage natural resources on their family ranches or work for agencies around the State of Nevada.

Nevada Youth Range Camp teaches our youth about the relationships between people, livestock, wildlife and rangelands. Students learn about all aspects of rangeland management including surveying and map reading, identification and importance of rangeland plants, evaluation of sagebrush and woodland ecosystems, wildlife surveying techniques, evaluation of stream health, and many other topics related to rangelands.

But more importantly, they learn about the multiple use concepts of rangelands and how this affects the way these lands are managed.  The camp challenges youth to explore resource problems and to create logical solutions. While one week does not create rangeland managers out of campers, it helps future leaders develop the perspective to understand the complexities of our rangeland resources.

NYRC, organized by the Nevada Section Society for Range Management, is located at the Big Creek Campground south of Austin and is one week in duration.  The 2012 dates are June 17th-June 23rd.  Camp includes all meals and transportation once students arrive at camp and supervision is provided at all times by a multitude of adult counselors and instructors.  Although camp is a learning experience, there is always plenty of time for horseshoes, volley ball, fishing, and campfire camaraderie.

Applications are now being accepted to attend the 52nd Nevada Youth Range Camp. Applications must be submitted by Monday, April 30. If you know of a high school age student who is interested in attending Nevada Youth Range Camp, contact Kathryn Dyer - (775) 885-6012 - kdyer@blm.gov for more information.    
More detailed information is available from the Nevada Section Society for Range Managements’ webpage: http://nevada.rangelands.org/Range Camp.html

Elko Daily Free Press, “Nature Notes”, 4/5/2012
© Gray Jay Press, Elko, NV

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