Black Rock Forest Consortium Announces Summer Science Program

By Katelin Walling March 11, 2013

If your child loves science, Black Rock Forest Consortium may have just the summer camp you're looking for. Now offering 18 different science camps to choose from, Black Rock Forest aims to advance scientific understanding through research, education, and conservation programs for tweens and teens.

black rock forest summer science classes Black Rock Forest Consortium, a nonprofit organization found in 1989 to advance scientific understanding off the natural world through research, education, and conservation programs, is launching its Summer Science Class program this summer for middle and high school students who are interested in the environment, conservation, or the natural sciences.

The programs feature fieldwork at Black Rock Forest with scientists from Black Rock Forest Consortium’s member institutions, including the American Museum of Natural History, Barnard College, Columbia University, and New York University.

“Learning in the sciences is the most fun when it’s authentic,” said Jeff Kidder, Ph.D., a zoologist and the director of education at Black Rock Forest Consortium. “We’re delighted to offer this program to families in our region because it connects kids with great instructors who are subject experts in a wide variety of fields, from comparative biology and entomology to mammalogy and behavioral neuroscience.”

There are 18 courses for campers to choose from, which cover a wide variety of topics, including an introduction to animal behavior, tracking and trapping nocturnal animals, and “Crime Scene Ecosystem” where campers have to investigate and solve a scientific mystery.

“We pack a lot of fun in, too,” Dr. Kidder said. “Depending on the classes they choose, kids can kayak in Constitution Marsh, go owl?calling at night, collect and bake with wild berries, or climb the High Peaks of the Adirondacks.”

The weeklong classes run June 23 through Aug. 17, and registration began March 8. The Black Rock Forest Consortium is located at 65 Reservoir Road in Cornwall. For more information, visit blackrockforest.org or call 845-534-4517.