VIRGINIA TECH WILL HOST
4-H WILDLIFE HABITAT EVALUATION
PROGRAM JULY 2004
BLACKSBURG,
Jan. 23, 2004 -- Teenagers from
over 25 states will visit Virginia
Tech July 28 to Aug. 1 to participate
in the national 4-H Wildlife
Habitat Evaluation Program (WHEP)
Contest. The College of Natural
Resources and the Virginia 4-H
Foundation are preparing to
host the competition while one
team from each state plans to
compete in areas of wildlife
habitat and management.
"I think the most unique part
of the competition is the analysis
of aerial photographs of the
surrounding land," explains
Jeff Kirwan, associate professor
of forestry in the College of
Natural Resources at Virginia
Tech and Extension specialist.
"Each team is presented with
four different aerial maps and
a species. As a team, they must
use the maps to rank the best
suitable habitat for the given
species."
The
contest is divided into five
different parts: identifying
wildlife foods; judging wildlife
habitat from aerial photographs;
prescribing wildlife management
practices on a given site; developing
an urban management plan for
selected species; and developing
a rural management plan for
selected species. The competition
includes both individual and
group events. A team is qualified
to participate at the national
level only if it has previously
won at the state level. Teams
are allowed to participate at
the national level only one
time.
WHEP
is a 4-H youth natural resource
program dedicated to teaching
wildlife management to youths,
age 9-19, in the United States.
Through participation in the
4-H WHEP event, youths learn
the science of wildlife management.
They also gain skills in oral
and written communication, critical
thinking and decision making,
while participating in an activity
that encourages observation
of detail. They develop their
leadership potential and learn
about sportsmanship.
Co-chairs of the Virginia 4-H
WHEP Committee are Ann Gallus,
4-H Volunteer in Loudoun County
and Jennifer Mercer, Extension
Agent for 4-H in Augusta County.
Aside from the competition events,
additional recreational activities
will be available to the students
such as day trips to Mountain
Lake, the Cascades, and Jefferson
National Forest.
"Being
a part of WHEP was a great experience,"
says Rebecca Jameson, of Loudon
County, Va., and past WHEP participant.
"I had an excellent coach, Ann
Gallus, who knew so much about
the wildlife aspect as well
as having what it takes to be
a great teacher. Working with
other team members in community
activities and competitions
made fun and lasting friendships
with people who shared similar
interests." Jameson is now a
fisheries and wildlife major
at Virginia Tech.
The
national contest is sponsored
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Services, International Paper,
the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation,
and the National Rifle Association,
and many local sponsors including
Virginia Department of Game
and Inland Fisheries, Ward Burton
Wildlife Foundation, James City
County 4-H Clubs, and Brunswick
County Board of Supervisors.
The
College of Natural Resources
at Virginia Tech consistently
ranks among the top five programs
of its kind in the nation. Faculty
members stress both the technical
and human elements of natural
resources and instill in students
a sense of stewardship and land-use
ethics. Areas of studies include
environmental resource management,
fisheries and wildlife sciences,
forestry, geospatial and environmental
analysis, natural resource recreation,
urban forestry, wood science
and forest products, geography,
and international development.
For
more information on WHEP contact
Jeff Kirwan at jkirwan@vt.edu
or (540) 231-7265 and Jenny
Mercer at jamercer@vt.edu
or (540) 245-5750.
