If you spend any time in Wyoming, you have an appreciation for the vastness and abundance of natural resources. You may even wonder to yourself, who will be here to care for those natural resources after I am gone?

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Well, wonder no more! Wyoming Resources Education Days, fondly known as WyRED, connects youth and adults to the land through a 4 day, hands-on, field camp to build a knowledge base, skill set and appreciation for the management of Wyoming’s natural resources. This educational experience has been happening for 28 years!

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WyRED rotates throughout the state and was held at the Pathfinder Ranches in June 2024. This camp is intended for youth ages 14-18 as well as adults who be on the ground working with local ranches and seeing best management practices for conservation. Really, who wouldn’t want to learn more about plant identification, soils, grazing, resource planning and management decisions? We had a great lineup of natural resource managers who involved students in their career field. 

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Throughout the week, campers were learning components of the Range Contest held on the last day. This contest includes: plant identification, ecological site identification, similarity index, beef cattle habitat evaluation, sage grouse habitat evaluation and a ranch plan map. Glenrock 4-H was the high team with members Cora, Kayla, Daniel and Jess Grant. The second high team was Chief Washakie FFA with members Zane Lentsch, beckett Tharp, Breanna Draper and Dash Hart. Rachel Grant was the top adult.

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Campers also received individual awards:

• Cora Grant – Top Wrangler, Top Returning Camper

• Colton Schick – Top New Camper

• Jess Grant – Top Range Rider

• Lilyanna Barton – Most Improved Camper​

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WyRED moves to Carbon County in 2025 near Saratoga. If this camp sounds like something you, your child, your youth group, your school or your business would like to become a part of, contact Mae Smith, msmith@sheridan.edu. Check out our website: https://www.wyomingrangelands.org/wyred for more information.