Philosophy and Purpose

Themes

  • Biological Principles of sustainable Ecosystems
  • Stewardship of working Landscapes
  • Personal Growth and Leadership

 Purpose

  • To introduce our youth to the variety of natural resources and systems found in Montana through explorations of geology, water, wildlife, range, forest, and soil resources.
  • To help students understand the concept of conservation by:
    • Sharing historical perspectives of natural resource use development.
    • Learning how the concepts of preservation, conservation, ecosystem management, stewardship, and sustainable use have developed.
    • Giving an overview of applied management practices and guidelines.
  • Provide students the opportunity to hear about different land use perspectives and ethics by:
    • Interacting with different instructors, disciplines and perspectives.
    • Encouraging students to interact with each other and share their own cultural, geographic and land-use backgrounds.
    • Participating in activities that provide for actual land management decision making and its consequences.
  • To enjoy meeting new people, participating in outdoor recreational activities and experience personal growth and leadership.

Philosophy

The future decisions of how our natural resources will be managed will be made by the youth of today. By providing youth an opportunity to learn about the scientific principles, economic realities, historical heritage, and social perspectives of today, we can help these future leaders in their quest to develop policies that are informed and progressive. It is our belief that in order to make thoughtful decisions, each person must know him/herself, must understand the values on which his/her beliefs are based, and must be willing and able to understand and respect the values and views of others in working towards conservation of our natural resources.