Camp graduates 19 FBI members

Mac Olsen
South Peace News

Nineteen children in High Prairie received their “FBI” credentials from the Forest Bureau of Investigation last week, as they learned about boreal forests, team work and wilderness survival. The children participated in the week-long Boreal Forest Discovery Camp under the direction of M.J. Kristoff. “They are becoming junior agents in training,” Kristoff says. “It’s a science camp, but it’s also a fun camp. We want the kids to go out there and learn that there’s lots of cool things out in the bush, and that there’s more to do that sit on the couch and watch TV.” She also says that the children should learn that forestry is a renewable resource. On July 16, Kristoff and several other camp counsellors took them hiking in the jack pine forest just north of High Prairie. The next day, they went to the Northern Lakes College School Forest, which is just northeast of Grouard. There, they divided into several groups for three activities. In one activity, they learned how to build files using birch bark, balsam fir and pine needle branches. They lit their fires using flint, steel, magnesium and matches. The second activity consisted of team building exercises: crossing a log from both directions simultaneously without falling off; slooshing, in which the children had to imagine that they were crossing over hot lava and couldn’t touch the ground with their feet; and climbing through an “electrified fence” of pink tape without touching it. In the third activity, the children learned how to make a lean-to shelter. They had to pick a good spot, find branches and moss, then put the shelter together. This is Rylea Hughes’ second year in the Boreal Forest Discovery Camp. “The camp is fun, and I like everything. It’s really interesting what we can do,” Hughes says. During the slooshing, her group had some difficulty moving their feet in unison on the boards. So Hughes moved up to the front and took charge, which resulted in them acting well as a team. Perhaps she has leadership qualities that will benefit her later in life? On July 18, the children went to Winagami Lake Provincial Park for kayaking. Pat Potvin taught them bark carving as well. The next day, they went to the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation, which is 18 kilometres north of Slave Lake, and they had to solve the “murder” of Wally the Warbler. A warbler is a type of song bird. On July 20, they went to the Heart River Dam for Forestry Day, which was put on by Buchanan Lumber, Tolko Industries Ltd. and Sustainable Resource Development (the latter is part of the provincial government). They learned about battling forest fires and how to measure a tree’s height and diameter. They planted trees as well. For fun, they got into water fights. As this was the conclusion of the camp, the children “graduated” from the Forest Bureau of Investigation and received prizes as well. Sunny Poloz has been in the Boreal Forest Discovery Camp for three years, and she has a lot of interest in nature and forestry. “It’s an awesome program. I was afraid I wouldn’t get the registration form this year,” Poloz says. She liked building the lean-to shelter, and was looking forward to the water fights. This is Daeton Noskey’s second year in the camp, and he has made new friends each time. He found the “electrified fence” difficult, as his group struggled to put him through it. Noskey was looking forward to kayaking at Winagami Lake, but he also remembers last year when he tipped his kayak. Nonetheless, he enjoys participating in the camp. “The games are really fun,” he said. “I’ve never played some of them before, like predator’s play.” Kristoff says that the Lesser Slave Forest Education Society runs the camp, with the Forest Resource Improvement Association providing funding.

Copyright © 1999-2005 South Peace News. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.

View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster