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History

NRCW - History



The Natural Resources Conservation Workshop began in 1962. The idea began within the ranks of two organizations committed to conservation of our natural resources in Georgia: Georgia Association of Conservation District Supervisors and the Georgia Chapter Soil and Water Conservation Society. Both of these organizations had strong ties and affiliated membership with various agencies and leadership related to our natural resources in Georgia: Georgia Department of Natural Resources(especially the Law Enforcement and Wildlife Divisions), Georgia Forestry Commission, Natural Resources Conservation Service(formerly the Soil Conservation Service), Georgia Mining Association, Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Forest Service and many individuals and private organizations.

The idea of a summer camp with the interagency support gained interest, and the journey began with high school students representing counties from all parts of Georgia. The supporting agencies have shared their profession for an entire week teaching and showing their skills and knowledge through classrooms and field trips. Different colleges throughout Georgia have hosted the summer event since its birth in 1962. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College has become a consistent host since 1981, and came on as an official “home” for the Workshop and a partner “sponsor” in 1995. After a few years at Middle Georgia College in Cochran, Georgia, the workshop will return to the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia.

The Workshop is proud of its college sponsor involvement which provides motivation for high school student recruitment and financial support for college tuition. During 2004, $10,500 was given through eight college scholarships. The Director and adult leadership for the summer event are volunteers representing their agency or affiliation. They share a desire of helping a young person with a career or planting a seed for a career in natural resource conservation. Pleasure is often experienced just by knowing they are part of exposing the value and protection of our natural resources to our next generation. Many parents are now seeing their children attend the Workshop that they once attended, and grandchildren will be attending soon as the Workshop had its forty-fifth anniversary in 2007.