The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection will sponsor its 35th annual Youth Environmental Conference Oct. 15-17 at Cacapon Resort State Park in Berkeley Springs. The registration deadline for the conference is Sept. 30.
Members of the WVDEP’s Youth Environmental Program, ages 13 to 18, are eligible for the conference, which is filled with environmental activities and workshops on topics such as geocaching, quality deer management and recycling. Tours are scheduled to the USDA National Science Center, Yankauer Nature Preserve and Whiting’s Neck karst cave. The opening program on caving karst will be presented by DEP geologist George Dasher.
Also scheduled are a recycling contest, group reports on information obtained from the tour and a dance. The last day of the conference will feature an idea swap in which conference participants share community project ideas.
A limited number of scholarships are provided to Youth Environmental Program members on a first-come, first-served basis. Contributions for the scholarships have been provided by REI Consultants, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alliance Consulting, Kanawha Stone, US Silica, S & S Engineers, several county solid waste authorities, conservation districts and banks from throughout the state.
For information on how your youth group can become a member of the Youth Environmental Program and take part in the Youth Environmental Conference, please contact Diana Haid at 304-926-0499, Ext. 1114; email diana.k.haid@wv.gov; or go to www.dep.wv.gov.