By reputation and its history, there is probably no other state in the country better known for its outdoor heritage than the Pine Tree State. And there is only one way that heritage and all associated outdoor traditions can be preserved and passed along.

You guessed it: the next generation. The outdoor legacy that is Maine rests squarely with today’s youngsters.

As former Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Lee Perry observed, “This is a significant responsibility for this next generation of Mainers, and conservation education is essential to the future of this state’s outdoor heritage.”

Although state conservation camps are not new to Maine, these centers for teaching outdoor skills to youngsters become even more critical and indispensable in an ever- changing society. The truth is that fewer and fewer young people are being “brought along” to know and appreciate the great outdoors. For youngsters caught up most of the year in video games and an onslaught of school activities, a week or two in the woods at a Maine summer conservation camp can be a joyful, character-building activity that gives new direction to young lives.

Enter the Maine Conservation School (MCS), which has been a part of Maine for more than 50 years. MCS has camps at Bryant Pond in Western Maine and Greenland Point on Long Lake near Princeton. Both these camps operate a series of excellent summer conservation programs for youngsters from 8 to 18, offering Summer Camp Programs and Special Programs.

Conservation Camp is for children ages 10 to 13. Maine outdoor traditions are the heart of this camping program. It equips youngsters with the skills and knowledge to safely enjoy our woods and waters. Hands on lessons include kayaking, canoeing, archery, swimming, fly casting, rifle instructions, map and compass, wildlife exploration, hiking, woods survival techniques, first aid, gun safety education, forestry, outdoor ethics and fish identification.

Other programs offered throughout the season include Outdoor Explorer, Junior Explorer, Wet n’ Wild and Woods Survival.

If you have a youngster or know of a youngster,who would benefit from a week at summer camp having fun and learning conservation education, read this. According to Sandy Neilly, executive director of the Maine Conservation School, there has been an unexpected drop in applicants for this summer’s programs.

“We still have 300 slots open, and 150 unclaimed scholarships,” she said.

This decline in enrollment means some exceptional last-minute opportunities for deserving Maine youngsters. On a first- come- first- serve basis, 150 Maine youngsters will get a chance to spend a week at one of Maine’s two premier conservation camps for just $100.

Neilly says that in certain cases where need is demonstrated, there are some full scholarships available.

Among the Maine Conservation School’s Special Programs is the popular Junior Maine Guides School for youngsters ages 14 to 18. The JMG Program is a four-week intensive program designed to equip students with the skills and abilities to secure the Fish and Wildlife Department’s Junior Maine Guide Certification.

Young people who are interested in outdoor or guiding careers and who already have a strong resume of outdoor skills are encouraged to apply. According to Neilly, youngsters spend three weeks living and cooking in the woods. Days and nights are full of work on campsite management and cooking, map and compass skills, first aid techniques, trip preparation, backcountry travel, tree identification, wildlife study, state fish and game laws and practice with tools that are essential to guiding work.

Although the cost of this Junior Guides Program is approximately $1,400, Neilly says that there are a number of $1,000 scholarships being provided by state conservation organizations.

As you can see, there are some exceptional opportunities here, not only to give some Maine kids a meaningful and memorable week in the outdoors, but also to pass along Maine’s outdoor heritage to those who will soon be the stewards of our natural resources.

If you have a girl or a boy with a week to spare sometime between the end of June and the end of August, give Sandy Neilly a call at 665-2068 for more information. The school can be reached by e-mail at: [email protected]. There is also a website at: www.meconservationschool.org.

V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WCME-FM/96.7) and former information officer for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. His e-mail address is [email protected].