40th Annual Range Camp in the Books! Theresa Becchetti
This past June marked the 40th Range Camp. I can’t believe it. And the Top Camper from that first year is still active in natural resources! Camp has meant so many things to so many people over the years. I cannot thank Mike Stroud enough for pulling together that first camp and the Navy Natural Resources program for keeping it going for so long before it transitioned to a more diverse Cal-Pac led Camp, and then lately to a University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) led Camp.
Cal-Pac members have continued to show up and help share their love of rangelands with a group of 25-ish (our numbers over the years have been between 20 and 29, mostly around 24-25) high school kids every summer. For those of us based in the San Joaquin Valley, a week in Half Moon Bay is not a bad way to start summer.
This year we had a really great group of campers. A handful of kids have grandparents or parents who work in the natural resources world with some being SRM (and Cal-Pac) members. We have seen kiddos of SRM members come to camp in the past and often they are there purely for the unique social experience of Range Camp. This group was an excellent mix of students from across California who all wanted to learn, as well as enjoy the social aspect. And those kiddos who have been exposed to rangelands – they competed very well with everyone! With two of them placing in the Top Three Campers and one just a few points shy of the Top 5. Less than 10 points separated the top camper and the 10th camp[1]er. Normally, we have a bigger spread in points, underscoring just how tough the competition was this year.
For those who have never been to Camp, it is a week-long mini cram session for a range degree. We try to expose Campers to a little bit of everything encompassed by rangeland management. A little bit on range ecology, a little bit on monitoring, little bit on soils, geology, wildlife, riparian areas, forestry, fire, and more! Each speaker also shares background on their career path to spark an interest in college… and a career on rangelands with any luck. And to point out, career paths are often like a windy road to an unknown destination, and that is ok. Each session has a field component – from digging soil pits, collecting plants, conducting monitoring, setting things on fire, and seeing geological events on the cliffs at the beach. Campers are outside most of the days, actively learning and getting their hands dirty.
Thank you to all our speakers, volunteers and staff who make Range Camp possible every year!! And just so you know, the reason we keep registration costs as low as we do, is because we only hire two counselors, our caterer and a health supervisor. The rest of those who come to camp are volunteering their time to be there. And we could not have as stellar a camp without them. And a huge thank you to the many Resource Conservation Districts who sponsor Campers year after year. We are so thankful for the support of the RCDs and other natural resource focused groups who provide scholarships for campers every year.
Range Camp sponsors the top two campers to attend the High School Youth Forum at the Annual SRM meeting. Hawaii held their first Range Camp this past spring, and we are waiting to see if the third spot Cal[1]Pac has for HSYF will be filled by a Hawaiian Camper or a California Camper. No matter what, we know the delegates from the Cal-Pac section who attend the HSYF will enjoy another unforgettable experience and represent Cal-Pac well. Without further ado, we present the Top Campers from the 40th Annual Range and Natural Resource Camp! Izzy and Teagan will be representing Cal-Pac at the HSYF, and if the Hawaii Top Camper is not able to at[1]tend, Spyder will be given the opportunity as the third delegate (and we will help him find funding if he needs it – Camp is only able to financially support the Top 2). If you are at the SRM Annual Meeting in Spokane, be sure to come support our Cal-Pac delegates as they present their papers on the rangeland topic of their choice (one will be on California’s vernal pools I know!).
If you are thinking of becoming a sponsor for Range Camp 2025 please follow the steps below: 1. Email us at rangecamp@ucanr.edu 2. Get the word out 3. Select a Camper to Sponsor 4. Submit the Sponsorship Funds to Range Camp. 5. Coordinate with camper to insure they submit their application and supporting documents by the Ap[1]plication Deadline. More information can be found at our website: https://ucanr.edu/sites/rangecamp/