From all corners of the state, high schoolers converged in Divide, Colorado to learn about natural resource conservation in a week-long immersive camp experience. Throughout the week, this year’s 31 campers delved into the world of resource stewardship, learning about the importance of protecting and preserving our environment. From interactive workshops to hands-on activities, they have gained a deeper understanding of sustainable land use, wildfire mitigation, and the interdependence of ecosystems. 

All week campers get the opportunity to work side by side with trained professionals in the fields of rangeland science, forestry management, soil and water science, and fish and wildlife management. Through team projects, problem-solving activities, and mentorship, they learned the importance of effective communication, cooperation, and leadership.  

Ben Berlinger, Rangeland Management Specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, was one of the instructors leading the rangeland science cohort for the week. “The campers in the range management discipline come away with an appreciation of rangelands and the many values healthy rangelands provide to humans,” shares Berlinger. “They have a working knowledge and skills in rangeland plant identification, how to assess the quality of the rangeland in terms of biological diversity/productivity, and prescribed grazing management techniques.”  

The utilization of hands-on learning is what lies at the heart of the Camp Rocky experience. Activities for the week for the range management group included plant identification, collecting plant samples, and making plant presses. Additionally, they gained experience in calculating stocking rates for pastures and ultimately put their knowledge to the test in their final project – creating a range management plan for an on-site llama grazing pasture. 

By the end of the week and all across camp, budding natural resource professionals had implemented their very own resource management projects. Other group projects included resource management plans for aspen grove support, assessing local stream CFS flows, and wildlife camera surveys. 

While there was certainly a lot of learning and work taking place, there was also room for lots of fun – with activities ranging from scenic hikes and campfires, to obstacle courses and talent shows. Of course, the fan favorite Camp Rocky tradition of glow-in-the-dark capture the flag continued for another exciting year of fun filled competition.  

Importantly, many of this year’s campers were returning attendees, with many of them enjoying their second or even third year at Camp Rocky. And this kind of engagement is largely due to the continued support of local Conservation Districts across the state that help support Camp Rocky by sponsoring campers. Almost all the campers were sponsored by Conservation Districts to some degree – affording them the opportunity to make life long memories and friends, and to give them the beginning tools to pursue invaluable careers in resource conservation. 

Moreover, the support from key actors in Colorado’s conservation partnership such as the Natural Resources Conservation service, plays an invaluable role in the cultivation of the next generation of conservationists. “Camp Rocky demonstrates how professionals in natural resources assess resource concerns, quantify the concerns, and then develop a plan to address those concerns and issues,” says Berlinger. “It is because of the extreme satisfaction of helping these young people experience the wonders of natural systems, and how humans fit-in to the big picture, that has kept me coming back to this quality educational experience for the past 36 years.”     

Highlighting the overall goal of Camp Rocky, Noah McCord, Camp Director, notes: “We hope that the lessons learned and friendships forged at Camp Rocky will inspire our campers to become lifelong stewards of our natural resources.” To find out more about Camp Rocky or next year’s registration, please visit https://www.camprocky.org/.