Camp Hickory
Awareness Week for
Forestry & Natural
Resource Careers
The Awareness Week for Forestry and Natural Resource
Careers is a week long co-educational summer camp program
designed to acquaint Maryland high school students with
careers in forestry and natural resources management through
first hand contact with professionals in a variety of
conservation career fields.
The Program
The program is educational consisting of a lively combination of classroom and field activities. Students are divided into groups for the week spending most of their time working with counselors who are professional foresters.
Students from the same county will not be assigned to the same group. This increases the opportunity for students to meet others from different areas of the state.
Typical subjects may include:
- Tree Identification
- Forest Ecology
- Silviculture
- Insect and disease Control
- Reforestation
- Forest Measurements
- Fire Control
- Stream Ecology
- Wildlife Management
- Park Management
Field activities may include:
- Paper Mill Tour
- Steam Ecology and Stream Inventory
- Map and Compass Exercises
- Tree Identification
There are also several "games" throughout the week where teams are given a natural resource situation that needs to be "solved". At the end of the week each group will put together data they have collected and write a management plan on a small parcel of forest. Other activities include career night, recreation, evening snacks and an evening program each night. These activities may include the Land Use Planning Game, Arboriculture Demonstration, Herpetology Program and others.
Participants should be prepared for outside activities, even if it rains, and to help out with camp clean up.
The program is revised annually to reflect student suggestions, new program opportunities, and the changing world of natural resources management.
Workshop Fee and Transportation
The cost for attending the program is $275. However, as in the past, your local
Forestry Board may offer partial or full scholarships to the camp. Transportation
to and from the workshop is provided for all students.
How to Apply
Students attending Maryland High School entering grades 10-12 in the fall of 2003 who are interested in natural resources careers are eligible to apply. Just fill out the form below, and an application will be sent to you.
The application asks for a brief paragraph describing why you are interested in attending the Awareness Week for Forestry and Natural Resources Careers, a list of awards or recognitions you have received, and what outside activities you participate in. In addition you should have two letters of reference by teachers, counselor, club advisors or other adults who are not a parent or family member.