Camp rocky 2026 registration is open!
Divide Colorado
www.camprocky.org/go/Link to register for Camp Rocky
july 5 - 10, 2026
Camp Rocky is an educational, week long residential camp for 14 through 17 year-olds who enjoy the outdoors and are interested in natural resources!
Camp is located outside Divide, Colorado. Camp Rocky’s professional staff helps participants learn about their environment through hands-on experiences. Staff represent many state and federal natural resource management agencies including National Resource Conservation Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Each year, new and returning students choose one of the following resource fields for their area of focus: Rangeland Science (co-led by our own Ben Berlinger and Dan Nosal), Forestry Management, Soil and Water Science (co-led by our own Dixe Crowe), and Fish and Wildlife Management. Students work in teams, making new friends from across Colorado. At the end of the week, students use their group learning plan to complete a management project on the property. Additional camper activities include volleyball games, hiking, a campfire, group challenges, nightly natural resource presentations, and a talent show!
Sponsored by the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts, with the help of other natural resource conservation partners.
Camp is located outside Divide, Colorado. Camp Rocky’s professional staff helps participants learn about their environment through hands-on experiences. Staff represent many state and federal natural resource management agencies including National Resource Conservation Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Each year, new and returning students choose one of the following resource fields for their area of focus: Rangeland Science (co-led by our own Ben Berlinger and Dan Nosal), Forestry Management, Soil and Water Science (co-led by our own Dixe Crowe), and Fish and Wildlife Management. Students work in teams, making new friends from across Colorado. At the end of the week, students use their group learning plan to complete a management project on the property. Additional camper activities include volleyball games, hiking, a campfire, group challenges, nightly natural resource presentations, and a talent show!
Sponsored by the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts, with the help of other natural resource conservation partners.
Students in the Range program learn inventory techniques, plant ID, and build a grazing enclosure.
Electrofishing with Colorado Parks and Wildlife gives all campers a chance to experience a fish inventory.
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Zeedyk structures, built by students in 2004, show reduced erosion that allowed grass fill in bare ground areas by the following summer of 2025.
Guest lecturers from CPW, Conservation District and other Natural Resource related speakers.
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High School Youth Forum & FFA Range Judging Competitions
2026 High School Youth forum DELEGATES attend the Annual Society for Range management Meeting in MONTEREY, California
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High School Youth Benefit from Range Management Forum in Monterey, CA
By Ben Berlinger, Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management, Youth Activities Chair The Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management (SRM) was well represented at the 2026 High School Youth Forum (HSYF) held in Monterey on February 8-12, 2026. The HSYF is an integral part of the SRM annual meeting. This year there were 24 delegates representing 10 of the SRM Sections. During the Forum, high school youth from all part of the western United States attended an ecological field tour and were invited to participate and interact among the various professionals and college students attending the meeting. This year the Colorado Section SRM sponsored three delegates to Monterey. Aleigh Grubb of Severance FFA, Kaylee Coin of the Lone Star FFA, and Renzo Bustamante of Lone Star FFA were selected to participate in the SRM Forum. (See picture below). All three delegates were chosen based on their exceptional achievements in rangeland management programs, and specifically based on their high individual scores on ecological site judging & plant identification at the Eastern Colorado State FFA rangeland judging Career Development Event (CDE). The goals of the HSYF are to recognize youth for outstanding accomplishments in range management activities and to provide young people the opportunity to discuss rangelands, career options, and meet with leaders in the field of range management. One requirement of the HSYF is that each delegate must write a paper and then present an illustrated talk on some aspect of rangeland conservation or grazing management. Aleigh’s presentation was titled The Importance of Proper Livestock Grazing. Aleigh talked about the history of range management and the evolution of rangeland science in the U.S. She highlighted Colorado State University Extension’s project on the seven principles for successful livestock grazing management. Kaylee presentation was titled Redefining the Fenceline. Kaylee highlighted the Levi Kokes Ranch located in Logan County and the work Levi is doing to implement the livestock grazing tool of virtual fencing. She talked about how Levi has experiment with two kinds of virtual fencing and that the results have been very successful. Renzo was honored with FOURTH PLACE in the paper presentation contest at the SRM awards ceremony for his presentation! (See picture below). His presentation was titled Unsung Heroes of the American Range: The Role of Sheep and Sheepherders in Colorado’s History. During his presentation Renzo talked about the history of sheep ranching and sheepherding in northwest Colorado. He interviewed and highlighted the Kevin Villard ranch near Craig. The Colorado Section SRM congratulates Aleigh, Kaylee, and Renzo for their outstanding achievements in range management and wishes them the best as they further pursue their ambitions in the field of natural resource management. |
The Colorado Section SRM congratulates Aleigh, Kaylee, and Renzo for their outstanding achievements in range management and wishes them the best as they further pursue their ambitions in the field of natural resource management.
(Left to Right) Kaylee, Renzo, and Aleigh after the awards ceremony. Renzo displays his fourth place award for his presentation on range management at the SRM annual meeting in Monterey. (Photo courtesy of the author)
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2025 High School youth forum delegates attend the annual society for range management meeting in Spokane washington
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Colorado high school agriculture students Isabelle Schier, Flagler FFA, Michael Amaya, Rye FFA, and Kinsley Mayo, La Junta FFA were selected by the Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management (SRM) to participate in the High School Youth Forum (HSYF), an SRM sponsored youth activity held jointly during the 78th SRM annual meeting held in Spokane, WA on February 9 to 13, 2025. These three HS youth participated in a paper presentation contest where they wrote a paper about a range management subject of their choice and then developed their paper into an 8-minute power point presentation. These presentations are given as part of the overall program of annual meeting of the SRM.
Congratulations to all three Colorado delegates. These three outstanding agriculture students were selected to participate in the HSYF based on their high level of achievements in FFA range judging and plant identification over the past two years. Isabelle’s presentation was titled "Grazing for Growth: Nurturing Soil Health Through Sustainable Management”. Michael’s paper was titled "Semi-Arid Rangeland Versus Drought”. Kinsley’s presentation was titled "From Devastation to Restoration: The Recovery of the May Ranch Following Wildfire”. Colorado’s fourth delegate, Katelyn Huskins, Rye FFA, was invited to attend the HSYF in Spokane and present her FIRST-PLACE paper from last year’s HSYF titled "Our Disappearing Rangeland” to the full SRM membership. All three of these Ag/FFA students said they enjoyed the Forum and benefitted by interacting with nineteen fellow students from all over the western United States who shared a common interest in the stewardship of rangelands. In addition to gaining valuable experience in writing and presenting a formal presentation these high school students gained exposure to the mechanisms of the SRM and the professionals and ranchers who make up its membership. Congratulations to these exceptional Colorado high school range management students on a job well done!! |
SRM delegates to the HSYF, Spokane, February 2025. Nineteen delegates representing nine SRM sections.
Pictured from left to right: Katelyn Huskins, CSU-Pueblo; Michael Amaya, Rye FFA; Isabelle Schier, Flagler FFA; Kinsley Mayo, La Junta FFA.
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2024 High School youth forum delegates attend the annual Society for Range Management Meeting in Sparks Nevada
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Colorado high school students Katelyn Huskins (Rye FFA), Tim Bedell (Soroco FFA), and Addie Goldstein (Holyoke FFA) were selected by the Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management (CSSRM) to participate in the High School Youth Forum (HSYF), and SRM sponsored youth activities held jointly during the 77th SRM annual meeting held in Sparks, Nevada in February 2024. The three students were selected based on oustanding acheivement in FFA Range Judging events across Colorado. The HSYF hosted 17 students from 8 sections. Addison presented her paper "Carbon Credits and Rangelands." Tim presented his paper " Smooth Brome: A Tolerant Invader?" Katelyn presented her paper "Our Disappearing Rangelands."
Congratulations to all of our students and to Katelyn Huskins (center right pictured with SRM President Dr. Perryman) for her 1st place finish and Ted Bedell (bottom right pictured with SRM President Dr. Perryman) for his second place finish overall. Katelyn will be presenting her award winning paper at the 78th SRM annual meeting to the membership in Spokane, Washington in 2025! Tim presented his paper at the 2024 Colorado Section SRM annual meeting held in Grand Junction in March. |
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CSSRM and FFA Range Judging Across the State in 2023
2023 High School Youth Forum Delegates attend SRM in Boise Idaho
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Colorado high school students Jedadiah Ballard (left), Chrisily Furia (far right), and Elaine Shannon (center) were selected by the Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management (CSSRM) to participate in the High School Youth Forum (HSYF), an SRM sponsored youth activity held jointly during the 76th SRM annual meeting held in Boise, Idaho on February 12-16, 2023.
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- Congratulations to all our students and Chrisily Furia's 3rd place finish overall!
https://www.thefencepost.com/category/news/state/
https://www.agjournalonline.com/2023/02/24/range-management-papers-presented-by-area-students/
2022 high school youth forum delegates attend SRM Albuquerque
February 9, 2022 - The winners of the High School Youth Forum competition for the Albuquerque International Society for Range Management meeting were announced and two of our students placed in the top five!
- Congratulations to students Emma Amato 3rd place and Ana Lockard 5th place overall!
January 31, 2022 - our High School Youth Forum delegates practiced their oral presentations in preparation for the SRM contest in front of committee members who attended in person and on zoom. Special thanks to Bow & Arrow Ranch Manager Michael Lacey for attending and opening the ranch and his management experiences to the students. Also thanks to the Spanish Peaks-Pergatoire River Conservation District c/o Justin Malispini and Jonnalea Tortorelli for their continuing support!
January 27 2022 - Our 2022 High School Youth Forum Delegates going to SRM Albuquerque representing the Colorado Section and their topics are (click on the title to read their final paper presented at SRM):
Learn about the students who will be representing the Colorado Section at the 2022 SRM Meeting in Albuquerque in our Winter Report 2022 or click the button below.
January 27 2022 - Our 2022 High School Youth Forum Delegates going to SRM Albuquerque representing the Colorado Section and their topics are (click on the title to read their final paper presented at SRM):
- Ana Lockhard, Lone Star FFA; "The Fox Ranch; A Success Story for Ecology, Wildlife, Cattle, Conservation, and Communities in Northeast Colorado"
- Emma Amato, Branson FFA; "Fencing of the Future"
- Alex Mattorano, Hoehne FFA; "High Stock Density Grazing on Native Rangeland"
Learn about the students who will be representing the Colorado Section at the 2022 SRM Meeting in Albuquerque in our Winter Report 2022 or click the button below.
2021 RECAP OF OUR YOUTH ACTIVITIES
For CSU Range Club updates please click here
2020 Recap
High School Range Judging contest
2020 Colorado HSYF Delegates to the SRM INTERNATIONAL MEETING IN DENVER
Click here to read about the high school range judging contests that took place this year across the state in 2020.
At the Burlington event Braden Wedel (center) of the Stratton FFA accepts his recognition for highest individual achievement from Julie Elliott (left) CO Section SRM, and Cory Wedel (right) Stratton FFA Advisor.
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2019 Recap
Spring/Summer Report 2019 - Recap of student success at the SRM International Meeting in Minneapolis and our upcoming student activities.
Winter Report 2019 - Learn about the students who will be representing the Colorado Section at the 2019 SRM International Meeting in Minneapolis, MN.
Eastern Colorado State FFA Range Judging Contest 2019 - Find out how the high school FFA students did during the annual contest that was held in Seibert, CO.
Winter Report 2019 - Learn about the students who will be representing the Colorado Section at the 2019 SRM International Meeting in Minneapolis, MN.
Eastern Colorado State FFA Range Judging Contest 2019 - Find out how the high school FFA students did during the annual contest that was held in Seibert, CO.