Each Spring the Resource Conservation District’s Education Coordinator recruits students through high school science teachers in the county to attend the annual Range Camp held at Elkus Youth Ranch in Half Moon Bay, near Santa Cruz. Approximately thirty students from all over California and western Nevada attend the camp.
The students’ studies focus on plant identification; erosion control; woodland wildlife; soil analysis; the role of fire; oak woodlands; stream analysis and habitat, and forest and grazing management. At the Swanton Ranch, an extension of California Polytechnic Institute, they study how to work with sheep, cattle and goats to enhance range production and health.
The students who attend find their experiences stimulating and challenging, and they appreciate the hands-on learning experience because it gives their new-found knowledge a real-life context. The camp leaves them with a feeling of accomplishment and new awareness of environmental issues.
For more information, contact our Education Specialist.