Given the increased concerns about our environment due to pollution and neglect, 4-H is teaching our youth to better understand the environment and how to protect our natural resources. In Mercer County, we have created opportunities to teach environmental stewardship and sustainability of our natural resources. 

Mercer County has collaborated with the local high schools for the last three years to teach youth forestry and wildlife education. Last fall, 19 youth participated in the State Forestry Field Day at Carter Caves. Eight high school youth participated in the spring state forestry and wildlife contest. They had the opportunity to learn and share their knowledge regarding leaf identification, compass and pacing, tree measurement, and wildlife identification. 

A KY Agriculture Development Grant through the Kentucky 4-H Foundation was secured to expand our county program to purchase forestry education program supplies. The program targets youth 9-18 to learn about Kentucky's trees and forests. From identifying trees to learning why leaves change colors, from the tree in the front yard to the entire forest, the 4-H Forestry Projects allow youth to learn in-depth about trees and the environments in which they live. These hands-on projects and activities will help youth learn about trees and their benefits, which will help them grow into future decision-makers who are knowledgeable about and appreciative of our environment. Youth learned how to use a Biltmore stick to measure the board length of trees and how to navigate the forest using a compass. Each youth participant used the equipment to prep for State Forestry and Envirothon events.

The program has expanded to the development of a Natural Resources 4-H Club. Club leaders have focused on tree/leaf identification with the youth to prepare them to enter projects for the fair. 

The final effort to expand environmental education has been youth participating in the Kentucky 4-H Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Academy (NRESci). The program's goal is to increase environmental literacy among youth in Kentucky. Every five years (since 1999), the Kentucky Environmental Education Council (KEEC) conducts a survey to assess Kentuckian's environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. According to KEEC's 2020-2025 Environmental Education Master Plan (2020), "… the average Kentuckian can answer correctly slightly less than half of the environmental knowledge questions included on the survey." The KEEC (2018) defines environmental literacy as "…the ability to recognize the components of healthy natural and man-made systems and the actions necessary to maintain, restore, or improve them" (p. 4) and states that environmental education is a pathway to environmental literacy (KEEC, 2018).  

Mercer County has three youth who just completed their first year, and we have five new youth who will begin in the fall of 2024. 

The Kentucky 4-H Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Academy (NRESci) aims to increase environmental literacy among Kentucky youth. The academy is a three-year program designed to teach middle-school-age youth about Kentucky's natural resources. Members who graduate from the program in good standing can apply to be ambassadors. As ambassadors, young people can practice what they learned in NRESci while developing leadership skills. NRESci began in 2011 as a pilot program with 18 scholars from eight eastern counties. 

The objectives of NRESci are that 4-H participants will:

·       Have a greater understanding of and appreciation for Kentucky's natural resources and environmental sciences.

·       Develop skills based on observation, evaluation, and action.

·       Make connections between environmental sciences and career opportunities in the state. 

NRESci meets quarterly each year. In September, 4-H members participate in a three-day residential retreat at Felter 4-H Camp in London, Kentucky, and attend three 1-day events annually. At the retreat, 4-Hers engage in various field exercises, including water quality testing, tree identification, forest measurement data collection, wildlife observation and trapping, and insect collection and identification. During the 1-day events, participants visit natural areas throughout Kentucky and have the opportunity to interact with natural resources professionals (e.g., wildlife biologists, soil scientists, hydrologists, foresters, and entomologists) in different venues (e.g., research and educational forests, environmental education centers, fish hatcheries, cave systems). 

At the last event of the program year, participants were asked to complete an evaluation. Thirty-three of the fifty-one members present at the event turned on an assessment. Results from the review included:

·       Thirty-two 4-Hers stated that during their participation in the NRESci Academy, they learned or improved upon a skill in natural resources. 

• Twenty-six stated they practiced skills gained from the NRESci Academy in other areas. 
• Thirty stated that because they participate in NRESci Academy, they better understand how their choices impact natural resources and the environment.  
• Twenty-seven stated that because they participated in NRESci Academy, they have taken steps to conserve natural resources. 
• Twenty-nine stated that because they participate in NRESci Academy, they are committed to being good stewards of the environment. 
• Eighteen stated that because I participated in NRESci Academy, they are considering a career in natural resources/environmental sciences.