Center for Natural Resources

Mission
The mission of the Natural Resource Center at the 4-H Center is to educate youth and adults alike in the management, conservation, and sustainability of natural resources, and to do so in an outdoor natural resource laboratory. Curriculum will incorporate studies of forests, soils, water, wildlife, climate, and related studies to give students an appreciation, conviction, and sense of responsibility to be accountable for the management, development, renewal, and sustainability of these resources.

Facts

1. Over 10,500 individuals participated in group programs last year.
2. We are bringing together the expertise from state agencies, land grant universities, the educational system and private sector to build a total program that addresses Natural Resource Education. The study time spent in this natural setting by students, supplements the local school science curriculum. Last year during the school year over 1700 students and teachers participated in over 50 sessions using the forests, wildlife habitat, lake, and streams as their laboratory. This year over 2500 students and teachers are scheduled.
3. The Virginia Tech College of Forestry and Wildlife uses the "classroom in the woods" for a four-week session each spring to instruct forestry students in subjects that include tree identification, tree measurement, forestry management, and urban forestry.
4. Forest research sites, the working state forest and availability of other natural resources provides an ideal location for training sessions and seminars conducted by the Department of Forestry.
5. The academic Holiday Lake Forestry Camp sponsored by the Virginia Department of Forestry in cooperation with Virginia Tech and the forest industry has been conducted for 52 years. Over 5,000 Virginia high school youth have received hands-on training in forest management.
6. Annually over 2,000 youth attend 4-H camp in June, July, and August. The objectives of camp are many:
   
   • To discover and provide opportunities for developing leadership skills.
   • To learn to meet individual and group responsibilities.
   • To teach youth about citizenship and the importance of being a responsible citizen.
   • To have educational, recreational, and social experiences in outdoor living.
7. Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center is the leader in the 4-H Natural Resource curriculum area. We provide facilities, materials, and expertise for training, programs for youth and volunteer adults in areas including forestry, wildlife, shooting education, sports fishing and habit evaluation.
8. We have a 20-year memorandum of understanding to provide facilities and service for training programs for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Each year over 1200 youth and adults participate in such programs as Hunter Education Basic Instruction Training, Hunter Education Advanced Instruction Training, Becoming an Outdoors Woman and the Virginia Hunter Education Championship.

Companies, state agencies, associations, and numerous schools are familiar with or are currently utilizing Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center facilities and programs to benefit employees, students, or volunteers. They recommend your support for the new Natural Resource Center.

Please support the construction of the Natural Resource Center at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center. For more information please contact Preston Willson (434) 248-5444 Fax: (434) 248-6749.