Natural resources students spend a summer in holistic study
Memories of summers spent at camp last a lifetime. For students in the College of Natural Resources at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, summer camp experiences make for a lifetime of impact on career opportunities and collaborations with other natural resource experts.
UW-Stevens Point's Summer Field Experience is a six-week residential camp for natural resources students heading into their junior year. Held each summer at the university's Treehaven Field Station near Tomahawk, two sessions are offered for more than 100 students each. Students take seven one-credit courses in forestry, soils, wildlife, waters and fisheries and botany. Some students also serve as teaching assistants during the other session.
While some lectures are held indoors, the majority of the coursework is done outdoors in forests, waterways, fields and swamps on the Treehaven grounds. By the end of the session, students can identify more than 140 plant species and have a broad range of natural resources knowledge.
"This hands-on undergraduate natural resource summer field experience helps our students stand out when applying for their first jobs," said Scott Johnson, director of Treehaven. "This is a way for our students to rise above the rest."
Students are placed in four- to five-member crews that mix their specialties, which range from environmental education to wildlife management. The students work together on an assigned 40-acre piece of land, collecting data from and about the natural resources on their plot.
"They study integrated natural resource management," said Johnson, "which is what they will do when they become natural resources leaders across the nation and the world after graduation. They will have to collaborate with a variety of experts in the field."
Robin Schmitt (left), a senior wildlife ecology and management major from Allenton, Wis., experienced the summer sessions as both a student and teaching assistant. She appreciated the holistic approach of the camp program, she said.
"No matter what class you were in, there was always some concept that was impacted by an aspect of another class," she said. "You got to see the whole picture of how all the College of Natural Resources majors work together, and you learn how to appreciate those other fields of study."
Among her experiences were land surveying, mapping a flood plane, electrofishing for fish samples and trapping and tracking of wildlife.
These holistic experiences have led many students to internships not available to those without a broad knowledge base, Johnson said. Students like Schmitt, who gain teaching experience, have an additional highlight for their resumes that helps them find employment.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience natural resources from each of the different perspectives," said Schmitt. "Your time at Treehaven is a fantastic learning experience and an opportunity to network with faculty and get to know them outside of a lecture hall setting. And you have the chance to make many great new friends."
Set in 1,400 acres of forest and wetland habitat, Treehaven was donated to UW-Stevens Point by conservationists Dorothy and Jacque Vallier for natural resource education. Its facilities include a large classroom/conference center, two residential buildings for up to 125 people, dining services, trails and recently upgraded fiber optic, high-speed internet service. For more information on workshop, professional development and booking opportunities, go to www.uwsp.edu/cnr/treehaven, email sjohnson@uwsp.edu or call 715-346-4106.
For information on the College of Natural Resources, go to www.uwsp.edu/cnr, email cnr@uwsp.edu or call 715-346-4617.
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