Every summer since 2009, urban and rural teens from communities across Alaska have come together to immerse themselves in Wild as participants in the Chugach Children’s Forest Expeditions. They share kayaks in Prince William Sound, tents in remote field camps, and tight quarters aboard research vessels–living and working alongside scientists and wilderness educators to hone their sense of discovery.
The 8-10 day trips provide incredibly fun and challenging ways for teens to explore their public lands, and offer youth a chance to grow and learn, and to care for each other and for the incredible glacier-dominated habitats that surround the Sound.
In addition to basic outdoor skills acquisition, the youth tackle some of the most critical conservation issues facing Alaska’s marine environments, including marine debris, invasive species, and human disturbance, working together to gather plastic from the beaches, remove non-native weeds (and slugs!), and erase signs of campers from the shorelines. They also learn about climate change, the ever-present threat of oil spills, sustainable fisheries and other major conservation issues, but also about how people from around Alaska and the world are working together to help solve these issues–and how they themselves can positively change the future.
To learn more, see their stories in their own words by clicking on the links below or going to our YouTube site.
Get Out. Go Wild. Change the Future!
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