Students attending the 2017 Nevada Youth Range Camp observe part of the 2016 camp’s conservation project. This year’s camp is June 17-23, with applications due April 27. Photo by Sherm Swanson, Cooperative Extension.

Youth offered opportunity for hands-on learning about desert and mountain rangelands

RENO, Nev. – University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Nevada Section of the Society for Range Management are now accepting applications for the Nevada Youth Range Camp to be held June 17-23 in central Nevada’s Desatoya Mountains. Applications must be submitted by April 27.

Now in its 58th year, the Nevada Youth Range Camp provides an opportunity for youth ages 14-18 in Nevada and eastern California to learn about Nevada’s desert and mountain rangelands and diverse ecosystems. Campers will stay at the Smith Creek Ranch, which has been recognized for its ecologically responsible approach to livestock management on public lands. While there, campers will learn from range management professionals who are knowledgeable in the ecology and management of the Great Basin’s desert and mountain rangelands.

Campers will learn about map reading; identification and the importance of rangeland plants; evaluation of sagebrush, woodland, and stream ecosystems; wildlife habitat; and many other topics related to rangelands. Students can also enjoy the Desatoya Mountain Range through outdoor activities, including hiking, volleyball, horseshoes, campfires, photography, etc.

Interested students must submit an application and a letter of recommendation from an adult other than a parent, relative or sibling. The cost to attend the camp is $200 and includes meals and camp activities. Applicants may be sponsored to attend the camp by contacting their local conservation district or other organizations.

For more information and to apply, go to http://nevada.rangelands.org/youth-range-camp/ or contact Kathryn Dyer at 775-861-6647 or kdyer@blm.gov. Completed applications with enclosures can be emailed to kdyer@blm.gov, or sent to Nevada Youth Range Camp, c/o Bureau of Land Management, ATTN: Kathryn Dyer, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502. Approved applicants will be notified within two weeks of receipt of the application.

Nevada Youth Range Camp is conducted in partnership with state and federal agencies, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nevada Division of Forestry, Nevada Division of Conservation Districts, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Nevada Department of Wildlife. Financial sponsors include the Nevada Wildlife Federation, Nevada Conservation Districts, Nevada Bighorns Unlimited and Nevada Society for Range Management.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is the unit of the University of Nevada, Reno that is engaged in Nevada communities, presenting research-based knowledge to address critical community needs. It is a county-state-federal partnership providing practical education to people, businesses and communities. For more information on its programs, visit www.unce.unr.edu.

Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno ranks in the top tier of best national universities by U.S. News and World Report and is steadily growing in enrollment, excellence and reputation. The University serves more than 22,000 students. Part of the Nevada System of Higher Education, the University is home to the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and Wolf Pack Athletics. Through a commitment to world-improving research, student success and outreach benefiting the communities and businesses of Nevada, the University has impact across the state and around the world. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.