Vermont Wildlife Course for Educators, July 20-25

Vermont’s popular fish and wildlife summer course for teachers and other educators will be held July 20-25 this year. 

The interactive field course that gets educators out into Vermont’s streams, forests and wetlands with some of the state’s leading natural resource experts takes place at the Buck Lake Conservation Camp in Woodbury. 

Now in its 40^th year, “Wildlife Management and Outdoor Education Techniques for Educators,” is a one-week course taught by Vermont Fish and Wildlife and other Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) staff through Vermont State University. 

“Wildlife resources are important to all Vermonters in one way or another,” says Fish and Wildlife’s Outreach Director, Alison Thomas.  “If educators can get connected with the outdoors and in turn expose their students, then many of these students will be able to make informed decisions about Vermont wildlife and their habitat needs.”

“This course is unique in that it helps non-formal and pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers from any discipline -- math, language arts, physical education, or history -- improve their instructional strategies and make their lesson plans more relevant to their students.”

“This course is hands-on,” added Thomas.  “It continues to evolve and incorporate new environmental education ideas and activities, but we also continue to do traditional programs that have been part of the week for more than three decades.  It is a great mix of new and old with all of it being incredibly helpful and memorable.  I often continue to work with educators who have taken this course for many years after, and it is inspiring to see all the ways they incorporate information about wildlife and their related habitat into their curriculum.”

Tuition is $710 for the course.  Three graduate level credits through Vermont State University, books, food and overnight facilities are included.  A limited number of partial scholarships are available. 

A course description, schedule of activities and registration information are available by email from Alison.Thomas@vermont.gov

Buck Lake Conservation Camp is located east of Route 14, north of Woodbury Village.