Connecticut has a long history of local governance, and land use planning and natural resource decisions are often made at the town level. Accommodating growth, while at the same time conserving and protecting natural resources, is often a challenge. Most actively involved citizens, including high schools students, are interested in the environment but may lack the training and experience to contribute to these local efforts.

NRCA’s Conservation Ambassador Program (CAP) is an exciting program that engages high school students in land use planning and natural resource conservation. Students participating in the NRCA’s CAP will learn about a wide range of topics related to natural resources and the environment, including units on water, forestry, soil, fish and wildlife, landscape ecology, and habitat protection. Students will actively engage in each of these units in both classroom and field activities during a week-long field experience at the University of Connecticut (UConn). The classroom portion of each of these units will be illustrated and reinforced via field visits and fieldwork. Upon completing the field experience each student will then work on a conservation project in his or her community.