UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- If your ideal school is one where the classrooms include more than 7,000 acres of forest, fields, wetlands and streams, and where learning about our environment goes hand-in-hand with having fun and meeting new friends, then the Penn State Conservation Leadership School is for you.

In the unique setting at Penn State's Stone Valley Recreation Area near State College, students between the ages of 15 and 18 learn about the environment and conservation during a one-week program that emphasizes hands-on learning in the field, group problem solving, and leadership. Sessions are scheduled for June 24-30 and July 8-14.

For more than 50 years, more than 7,200 young people have participated in this outdoor and leadership experience. This year's program will include a special session on leadership developed by the Pennsylvania Rural Leadership (RULE) Program and an interactive ropes course challenge that will foster cooperation and teamwork.

The 2007 curriculum will focus on important natural resource issues including:

--"A Wildlife Conservation Success Story: The Pennsylvania Elk:" The group will take a field trip to Benezette for an in-depth look into the collaborative conservation efforts among local and state agencies and the public to protect the Pennsylvania elk herd.

--"Riparian Zones: What Are They and Why Are They Important?": Students will do hands-on testing and studying of a riparian zone at a local stream and learn why these diverse areas of vegetation are vital to the health of our water sources.

--"History of the Land: Examining the Dramatic Changes in Land Use Over the Past 200 Years:" Students will hear from experts in the field of natural resources and visit sites to identify the remnants of various land uses of the past.

The curriculum for the two sessions of Conservation Leadership School this summer is identical. During their stay at Stone Valley, students will work in teams with the faculty and staff from the School of Forest Resources, and representatives of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Rural Leadership Program, and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Scholarships are available from participating Conservation Districts in Pennsylvania and area sportsmen's clubs for students representing their district at Conservation Leadership School. For a listing of participating organizations or to register online, visit the Web at http://conferences.cas.psu.edu and click on Conservation Leadership School. For more information or to receive registration materials, contact the Office of Conferences and Short Courses at 814-865-8301 or by e-mail at shortcourse@psu.edu. Registration is limited.

Questions about program content should be directed to Mike Powell, director of Conservation Leadership School, at 814-863-1113 or by e-mail at mjp175@psu.edu.

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Jeff Mulhollem Editor 814-863-2719 Jjm29@psu.edu