Young people seem to grasp foreign languages a whole lot quicker than adults. The same seems to be true of foreign concepts such as natural resource use and conservation, which many adults view as mutually exclusive.

At the Natural Resources Workshop (NRW), offered to 4-H and other youth aged 12 to 14 at Ketchum in June, kids learn the language of conservation and resource use. The week-long camp provides the opportunity to learn about wildlife, soils, water, range, forestry, and the role those resources play in Idaho’s economy. Natural Resources Workshop: Youth learn language of the land NRW is presented cooperatively by the UI, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Idaho Department of Lands, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Idaho Soil Conservation District, Department of Water Resources, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

“When they get to camp, the kids don’t have much awareness at all of wildlife issues, wildlife facts, or the importance of ecosystems,” says UI Extension Educator Steve Reddy, who presents the wildlife education component of the camp. “We give them a test when they arrive, and a test when they leave. At the end of the week they really seem to understand a lot more about these concepts, and the issues involved.”

At the NRW, environmental science and theory are covered in the classroom and applied on the ground. Outdoor activities include animal, plant and tree identification, range and soil evaluation, and water quality testing. Participants learn to read the environment, divining the significance of clues ranging from scat and animal tracks to climate and topography. The NRW has been offered for more than a decade. About 85 youth attended in 2002. Applications, due by late May, are available at county extension offices. Camp costs $150, but soil conservation districts in each county usually sponsor at least one scholarship.

When environmental conservation and sustainable resource use are presented together, kids can more readily grasp that the two can be mutually inclusive.

“Natural resource camp is a great thing for kids,” says Valley County Extension Educator Steve Hines. “I don’t think there’s much opportunity for them to learn about natural resources in school. It’s also important for kids to know that Idaho’s economy is based on natural resources.

“Eventually, these kids are going to be making natural resource decisions in Idaho, and it will help them to have the knowledge so they will make educated decisions, and not decisions based on emotion.”