Posted by Michele on January 07 2010 at 20:39:12:
Spend a week in the field this summer learning about wildlife from the top wildlife biologists and managers in the state! The Wildlife Leadership Academy empowers high school aged students with the necessary skills and knowledge to become ambassadors for conservation in their home communities.
This unique program begins with an intensive residential field school, and continues as students complete service and leadership projects within their communities throughout the year. John Felix, a principal at Donegal High School, explains the content of the program as being “all encompassing. It involves the study of biology, botany and plant science, conservation, game management…It also provides the opportunity for students to learn from authorities in these fields.” Week-long instructor and professional ecologist, Lisa Smith, comments on the quality of the program as well, “The high caliber and sheer number of conservation professionals who are involved as instructors in this camp is beyond impressive, but more than that is the commitment of time, energy and passion that each of these instructors give to the students.”
Each WLA field school focuses on a single wildlife species. The first field school and the only one offered to date, PA Bucktails, focuses on White-tailed Deer, a species of regard in Pennsylvania for wildlife watchers and hunters alike. This year, WLA adds a second field school to the program, PA Drummers, focusing on Ruffed Grouse. “The Ruffed Grouse is one the most popular upland game birds and also the state bird”, points out Mark Banker, regional biologist for The Ruffed Grouse Society. He also notes, “The Ruffed Grouse represents a large group of wildlife that uses the most imperiled forest habitat in Pennsylvania – young forests.”
Michele Kittell, the Program Coordinator, points out, “Our field school differs from other week-long programs. When applying for the program the students agree to participate in at least three outreach activities in their home communities. We facilitate these outreach activities, encouraging students to participate in projects beyond the required minimum. The conservation outreach focuses on environmental education, community service, media contact, and/or participation in the arts. The goal of the WLA field schools is to provide the students with the tools and knowledge to become informed leaders for wildlife conservation now and in the future.”
Graduates of the program have taken the WLA challenge to heart, conducting over 178 conservation education, communication and service projects, engaging in 770 contact hours with the public, and reaching an audience of over 6,000 people across the state!
WLA is a cooperative initiative involving several state agencies and conservation organizations and is administered by the Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education. The program brings the knowledge and expertise of many prominent biologists, including representatives of Audubon PA, Kutztown University, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania State University, Quality Deer Management Association, Ruffed Grouse Society, and US Army Corps of Engineers directly to high school students.
Applications are now available for the 2010 field schools! Interested students can download an application by going to www.PICEweb.org. This year’s application deadline is April 1, 2010. PA Drummers will be held at the Powdermill Nature Reserve in Westmoreland County on June 22-26, 2010. PA Bucktails will be held at Stone Valley Recreation Area in Huntingdon County on July 6-10, 2010.
For more information, please contact Michele Kittell, Program Coordinator, at mkittell@piceweb.org or (570)245-8518.