Elk Country Junior Conservation Camp offers hands-on learning opportunities
BENEZETTE – After successfully offering Summer Elk Camp for youngsters between the ages of eight and 12 for the past several years, the Keystone Elk Country Alliance (KECA) expanded their reach to students ages 13-17 this year with the introduction of Elk Country Junior Conservation Camp.
The inaugural session of the one-day camp was held on Tuesday at the Elk Country Visitor Center in Benezette with seven teens in attendance.
KECA Conservation Education Coordinator Ben Porkolab explained that the camp came about after parents of previous attendees of Summer Elk Camp reached out and asked if something could be offered for older children after theirs aged out of the previous program.
“I thought it was a good idea, and we did it,” Porkolab said. “It has different programs, of course, geared for older kids.”
The day was originally scheduled to begin with a wagon ride and program on wildlife habitat, but the wagon ride was not able to happen, according to Porkolab.
“With the weather, we weren’t able to,” Porkolab said. “Then, somebody might say, ‘Well why don’t you just do it this afternoon?’ The heat would deter us from doing it this afternoon.”
The portion of the program on elk and other wildlife habitat was able to happen and offered participants a chance to have a handson learning experience about the types of plants that wildlife prefer as food sources.
“They talked about what elk eat, what elk prefer, how you take care of good habitat in Pennsylvania’s elk country, and what you need as far as pH with the soil. They actually did some soil samples,” Porkolab said.
During the morning portion of the camp, participants also were able to try their hands at archery and learn about owls and hawks.
Following lunch, one of the highlights of the day was an archaeological dig that is a relatively new offering at the center. Porkolab credited KECA Board of Directors member Bob Bolt, a retired teacher, with coming up with the idea for the program.
“This was an idea of (Bolt’s), and we actually put it into play about a year ago,” Porkolab said. “We have a location, and we don’t just have them go dig and look for things. We set it up as a true archaeological dig where first they have to grid the location, and then with those plots, they are working in teams and digging using the tools that archaeologists would use. Once they find something, they are recording it, and then we also have, more or less, an artifact key so they can identify the object as well.”
Buried within the area set up for the dig are elk bones, arrowheads, pieces of charred wood, and fossils. All are items that could be found in the area.
“We’ve done it three times now in the past year, and it’s been well received,” Porkolab said.
The afternoon also included a program on paracord survival and a visit to the center’s 4-D theater.
While there was only a small group in attendance for the inaugural Elk Country Junior Conservation Camp, Porkolab noted that one of the benefits was that the seven teens who did participate were able to get more of an individual experience.
“The kids that are here are here for a reason, and that’s because they’re interested in wildlife conservation and they may even go into a career path in that direction,” Porkolab said.
The final program of the day was related to KECA’s new Leaders of Future Conservation program, which is currently seeking applicants from across the state.
“We’re hoping to get some of these students interested in that,” Porkolab said.
Anyone who missed out on this year’s Elk Country Junior Conservation Camp is encouraged to watch KECA’s website, https://experienceelkcountry.com/, and social media accounts for information on next year’s camp, as well as other upcoming events and programs.