One year after launching its blog, the Natural Resources Commission Youth Conservation Council is opening up that public platform – http://michiganycc.wordpress.com/ – to young outdoor voices across the state. The Youth Conservation Council, established by a Natural Resources Commission resolution in 2012, provides a forum where a diverse group or conservation-minded teens can talk about and take action to protect, promote and enhance Michigan’s outdoor recreation opportunities – including everything from hunting, fishing and trapping to hiking, wildlife viewing and camping.
The YCC blog was one of the council’s first projects, initially providing a place where members could share their own outdoor experiences. Now the Youth Conservation Council wants to hear from the rest of Michigan’s young outdoor enthusiasts. “We know there are a lot of kids like us who are having great times in the outdoors,” said Gabrielle Herin, a Youth Conservation Council member from Trenton, Michigan. “Tell us about the experiences you’ve had this year in the outdoors. How do you feel when you spend time outdoors? What interesting discoveries did you make in the outdoors?” Although the council did not set specific age guidelines for those who submit blog entries, it is seeking entries primarily from youth 12 to 18 years of age. A few other tips:
Blog entries should include the writer’s name, age and hometown.
Up to three photos may accompany a blog entry and should be added as attachments to the email, rather than embedded in the message or document.
All submitted blog entries will be reviewed by Youth Conservation Council members and Department of Natural Resources staff for content and accuracy. When an entry is published to the YCC blog, the author will be notified via email. Learn more about the work of the NRC Youth Conservation Council by visiting the DNR website www.michigan.gov/dnr, clicking on Education & Outreach, and then on Natural Resources Youth Conservation Council. The council also has a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/michigan.ycc.
