You may have noticed that many environmental meetings are dominated by those over 50, and we often hear it said that we need to get young people involved to carry on the cause.
Well, here is an opportunity. An unusual young man named Oscar Psychas will lead “Young Leaders for Wild Florida,” a two-week environmental leadership summer program for local teens hosted by the Alachua Conservation Trust.
The program aims to inspire and empower a new generation of Floridians to explore and become leaders for wild Florida through hands-on wilderness exploration, service learning projects, and workshops around the environment and leadership. Over the course of two weeks students will spend most of their time outside learning from experienced conservationists, whether exploring the springs of the Santa Fe River on outdoor adventures or working alongside the Trust’s staff on conservation projects such as planting native longleaf pine trees or conducting biodiversity surveys in local swamps.
Students between the ages of 16 to 19 can apply online (the application includes one short essay), and admissions are on a rolling basis (students will hear back within 2 weeks). The required fee is only $25 per student (actual expenses per student are around $400, and further donations are appreciated but not required). The program will take place from June 11th to 23rd 2018, based in ACT’s Prairie Creek Lodge.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
-A river is like a life: once taken, it cannot be brought back-