RENO — The application period has opened for the Nevada Youth Range Camp, a weeklong learning and recreation opportunity at central Nevada’s Smith Creek Ranch. The camp is June 20-26 and is for students ages 14-18 with an interest in Nevada’s desert and mountain rangelands and ecosystems.
Smith Creek Ranch is located mid-way between Fallon and Austin in Nevada’s Desatoya Mountain Range, recognized for its ecologically responsible approach to livestock management. Camp organizers also note that in June the area is lush with wildflowers and green vegetation due to snowmelt.
Campers will learn from range management experts with knowledge of the Great Basin. Educational activities include: basic 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.
Recreational activities are merged in with learning. Campers will be able to swim, fish, hike, play horseshoes, take photographs and enjoy campfires.
The Nevada Section of the Society for Range Management operates the camp and works with a variety of state and federal agencies including the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nevada Division of Forestry, Nevada Division of Conservation Districts, Nevada State Parks, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Nevada Department of Wildlife.
Applications must be submitted by Friday, May 1, 2021.
Interested students must submit an application and letter of recommendation from an adult other than a parent, relative, or sibling. The cost to attend Range Camp is $225, which includes meals and camp activities. Applicants can be sponsored to attend Range Camp by contacting their local conservation district or other organizations. Forms and information can be found on the Nevada Youth Range Camp Website at http://nevada.rangelands.org/youth-range-camp/ or by contacting Ethan Mower (980) 565-6046 or ethanb.mower@gmail.com.
Completed applications with enclosures can be e-mailed to ethanb.mower@gmail.com. Letters of recommendation must be on the adult’s official letterhead. Approved applicants will be notified within two weeks by email.
