NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF) is offering a free two-day forestry camp for middle school students in West Tennessee on April 1-2, 2026.

“One way to inspire young people to become the future caretakers of our state’s forests is to provide immersive experiences to explore the world of forestry,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “Forestry camps are designed to spark interest in the trees, forests, water, wildlife and industry that are key to our lives but often taken for granted.”

The camp includes visits to a working sawmill, a state forest, a timber harvest operation and a forest research site, giving students a firsthand look at Tennessee’s ecosystems and forest industry.

Hands-on activities include exploring fire management using real tools and equipment, a stream study focused on water quality and aquatic invertebrates, and a tree-planting exercise designed to teach students about types of forest regeneration.

The Wolf River Forestry Camp, led by TDF with the support of the Tennessee Forestry Association, will be at Wolf River State Forest and Ames Plantation, 4275 Buford Ellington Road, Grand Junction. There is no cost to attend and lunch is provided. Students from public, private and homeschool programs are welcome. School excuse notes are available upon request.

Download the application at https://www.tnforestry.com/camps and email completed forms to forestry.camps@tn.gov by March 11. Contact Megan Carpenter at forestry.camps@tn.gov with any questions.