On May 25, approximately 700 sixth-grade students from 11 Herkimer County schools participated in the Annual 4-H Conservation Field Day School Enrichment Program at the Diamond Mines KOA Campground in Middleville. Participating schools included Central Valley (Jarvis), Dolgeville, Herkimer, Herkimer BOCES, Little Falls, Mt. Markham, Oppenheim-Ephratah/St. Johnsville, Owen D Young, Richfield Springs, St. Francis de Sales, West Canada Valley. The students visited 15 stations; and each received a tree seedling donated by the New York State DEC Saratoga Tree Nursery.
The stations and presenters included: Lost in the Woods /FR Piersma and FR Hoag / NYS DEC Forest Rangers; Job Duties and Responsibilities of Mondern Day Conservation Officers / ECO Lucas and ECO Hutton/ DEC Police; Conservation in Our Forests / Michael Marsh, Scott Healy, Jessica Mosher and Mary Kay Allen / NYS DEC Lands and Forests; Tree Planting / Gerry Smithson / Herkimer County Soil and Water Conservation District; Herkimer Diamond Quartz Crystals / Herkimer Diamond Mines; Fisheries Management in NYS / Amy Hoyt and Steve Case / NYS DEC Fisheries; Whitewater Paddling for Fun and Safety / Dale Gates, John Foutch and Craig Stewart / West Canada Paddlers; Fire Prevention Fighting / Roger Neff / NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control; Deer Management and Aging / Steve Heerkens / NYS DEC; NYS Fur Bearing Animals / Bill Ballou, Harian Moonan & Dale Wheeler / NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame;Wastewater Treatment Process / Alvin Montana II and Maurice Luck / Herkimer County WWTP; Soil Conservation / Ryan Huggins and Rachel Radicello / Herkimer County Soil and Water Conservation District; Recycling / Jamie Tuttle and Emily Albright / Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority; Bee Keeping / Jake Schieferstine / Mid-York Bee Keepers; Pet Responsibility / Ed View / Herkimer Humane Society.