Last Edited:
December 29, 2022 @ 8:53 am
Students learn field biology basics at Rotary Park
Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Parks and Recreation wrapped up the last of seven complete week-long summer camps on July 29 at Rotary Park. This year, County Parks held camps for 95 total students at capacity for each week. The first six sessions were for campers from eight to 11-year-olds, and the seventh session was for campers in the 12 to 14-year-old age range.
Certified Teacher and Natural Resource and Programming Manager Katherine Netti led the camp. Before joining Montgomery County Parks and Recreation, Netti was a high school art teacher in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. She planned lessons with a dynamic, hands-on curriculum to build an experience called, A Day in the Life of a Field Biologist.
“Each day of the week, we had a different specie focus; plants, rocks, animals, insects, and fish. We started the day by writing the definition of our daily scientist and then went out into the field or on a hike to collect samples. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the children. I think they had a great time while learning about the environment,” said Netti.
The campers worked with tools like field guides, magnifying glasses, binoculars, and digital microscopes, to help identify and record their found specimens. Campers maintained a nature journal to log locations, findings, and other notes. They cracked open geodes in the creek, saw a Barred Owl on a bird-watching hike, and claimed to catch the largest Stag Beetle they had ever seen. Netti hopes the camps will foster conservation ideas, curiosity, and a lifelong respect for wildlife.
“In 2021, post-COVID-19, we were able to host two camps. To go from two to seven camps is a dream for us. We look forward to making even more of an impact in the future. Kids love summer for many different reasons, and we want those reasons to include a healthy appreciation for the outdoors,” said Director of Parks and Recreation Sally Burchett.
“When we built the Wade Bourne Nature Center, these are the types of activities that we envisioned to honor Wade and his lifelong passion for conservation,” said Montgomery County Mayor Durrett.
If you are interested in registering your child(s) for Rotary Park Nature Camp 2023, email Katherine Netti @[email protected]
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![](https://mcgtn.org/storage/departments/information-systems/park%202.jpg)