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Every summer, they come in droves to Macbride Nature Recreation Area. They glide across the water in canoes and kayaks. They navigate using compasses, GPS units, and maps. They scour the soil to track mammals. They identify edible berries and prepare corn nettle chowder. They build shelters. They fish, band birds, practice archery, hike, create art, and play games.

These are just some of the activities planned as part of the University’s annual Wildlife Camps, a program sponsored by UI Recreational Services and held at a 450-acre peninsula of land 15 miles north of Iowa City. Participants range from kindergartners to high school students.

Although each of the more than two dozen camps lasts just a week, organizers hope the experiences will stay with campers for a lifetime. The mission of the program, which was established in 1985 with three groups, is to grow an appreciation in participants for the beauty and diversity of the natural world through hands-on activities. More than 2,000 youth attend; although most are from eastern Iowa, some come from out of state—and even out of country.

For more information, see http://recserv.uiowa.edu/Apps/YouthPrograms/WildlifeCamps.aspx.

—photos by Tom Jorgensen