Black Mesa Ecological Academy Planned in Kenton

STILLWATER - The Oklahoma Section of the Society for Range Management (SRM) is seeking high school students to participate in the Black Mesa Ecological Academy (BMEA). The Academy will be held June 24 - 29, 2007, at Kenton, Oklahoma. This Academy will be a cooperative effort among Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Students will explore the rangelands of the five-state area. The five-day Academy provides the opportunity to learn more about range and wildlife management, conservation planning, plant identification, conflict resolution and leadership development. All these subjects are integrated, using new technology such as global positioning systems and geographic information systems.

The course will be taught by members of the Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas Sections of the Society for Range Management, along with personnel from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and conservation districts. Additional staff, selected from the five states, will include animal scientists, historical re-enactors, tourism specialists, and others with expertise in rangeland related issues.

"Rangelands compose over one-half of the state's land use in Oklahoma," says State Conservationist Ron Hilliard. "These lands provide recreation, grazing for livestock, habitat for wildlife, and an excellent setting to teach ecological concepts to the youth of Oklahoma." The Academy is a fun week of meeting people, learning new skills, and spending time in a rangeland environment.

Applications for the academy can be obtained from your local your local NRCS Field Service Center, or downloaded from the Oklahoma Society for Range Management website. Applications must be postmarked by June 8, 2006.

All programs and services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service are provided in a nondiscriminatory manner.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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