Natural resources camp

Randy Brooks, Director/Forestry Instructor

Randy is the Extension forestry specialist for University of Idaho. He received his bachelor's degree in forest management from Oklahoma State University in 1986, and masters (1989) and doctorate (1996) degrees in forest science from Michigan Technological University. Randy spent five years as a water quality specialist in southern Idaho, and 16 years as an area Extension forester in north-central Idaho prior to becoming the Extension forestry specialist in January 2011. He grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and manages a few hardwoods on the home place. He is club advisor for the University of Idaho Loggers Sports Club and the Iron Club at the U of I. He was also selected as Phi Delta Theta’s Teacher of the Year, and was Outstanding Instructor of the Year in the College of Natural Resources. He enjoys working on old cars, hunting and lifting at the recreation center.

Jim Ekins, Water Instructor

Jim is the water educator for University of Idaho Extension; he’s an outdoor enthusiast and long-time educator. He develops educational programs based on the best science to all parts of the community. Jim runs the IDAH2O Master Water Stewards, a volunteer program where citizen scientists learn to collect water quality data from Idaho streams. He leads the Cleaner Water Faster bi-state educational project related to stormwater pollution, and is the statewide coordinator for Project WET (Water Education for Teachers). He has worked with the University of Idaho since the beginning of fall 2007.

He earned a bachelor's in natural resource management from Western Carolina University, and a masters in collaborative natural resource management from University of Oregon. He worked in three national parks, in Colorado and Oregon’s resort industry, on a research base in Antarctica and in wetland restoration for watershed councils in Oregon. Before moving to Coeur d’Alene, he was the director for Service-Learning and Internships for over five years. In his spare time, he is pursuing a doctorate in conservation social sciences in social-ecological systems resilience and decision science; he also canoes, skis, runs and backpacks with his dogs.

Skyler Farnsworth, Wildlife Instructor

Skyler is a regional wildlife habitat biologist with Idaho Fish and Game in the Magic Valley. He has a bachelor’s degree in wildlife science and a master’s degree in wildlife biology, where he researched habitat use in dusky grouse and ruffed grouse. Skyler has a great time showing the campers how to use radio equipment to find wildlife radio collars hidden around the camp, just like the professionals do. Skyler has been an avid sportsman and loved wild animals as far back as he can remember. He enjoys spending his free time outside with his wife, four boys and two hunting dogs.

Courtney Cosdon, Soils Instructor

Courtney is a soil health instructor with University of Idaho Extension, working in Boise. Courtney works to foster collaboration between farmers/producers and soil health professionals. She also develops and delivers education programs for Idahoans of all ages with the goal to increase knowledge of soils and to improve soil health.

Jake Bledsoe, Fisheries Instructor

Jake is the aquaculture research and Extension specialist for the University of Idaho. Jake grew up in a small town in Indiana, where his family had a small fish farm. He went on to study aquatic biology and agricultural economics at Purdue University (B.S.) and animal science at Southern Illinois University (M.S.), before getting his doctorate in natural resources (aquaculture/fish physiology) from the University of Idaho in 2019. Jake served as a research geneticist for the USDA-ARS working on genetic and genomic selection of rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon, before joining the University of Idaho as an assistant professor and aquaculture Extension specialist in 2022. Jake lives and works in southern Idaho and on the weekends, you’ll likely find him hiking with his dogs, rock climbing, mountain biking or hunting in the great outdoors of Idaho.

Jenn Rouse, MSN-FNP

Jenn is the nurse practitioner for Moscow School District #281. She started working in hospitals at age 19 and began her career with Gritman Medical as an Emergency Room nurse in 2012. Since then she has cared for patients in many capacities including working as a registered nurse, Gritman’s clinical educator and the family nurse practitioner at Gritman's Kendrick Family Care Clinic. Jenn and husband Stewart enjoy spending time with their four children fishing, hiking and hunting.

Josie MacConnell, Camp EMT

Josie has been coming to camp since she was 12-years-old and has since developed a love for emergency medicine. In her senior year of high school, Josie got certified as an EMT. She is now studying rangeland management at the University of Idaho but continues to practice as an EMT. She is also an AmeriCorps youth development instructor and is spending the summer providing enriching STEM experiences to underserved youth of southern Idaho.

Guest Instructors

Additional staff and guest speakers come to camp each year to teach subjects ranging from shooting sports, archery, birds of prey and Dutch oven cooking. The support from the guest instructors is a vital part of the Natural Resources Camp and something campers look forward to each year.

Camp Counselors

Cabin leaders are campers selected each year at the NRC by the adult staff to return to the next camp in peer leadership roles. Selected based on their combination of leadership, knowledge and interpersonal communication skills and potential, they receive pre-camp training from the University of Idaho. Cabin leaders develop and deliver several of the programs and activities for the campers and provide assistance to the instructors during labs and lectures. Cabin leaders play a vital role at NRC. 

The Natural Resources Camp (NRC) started as a one-week summer program for boys in 1960 and has continued yearly since then.

Now a co-ed camp, NRC participants spend a week at the Central Idaho 4-H Camp near beautiful Sun Valley, where they explore Idaho’s natural resources. Participants engage in fun, hands-on field experiences, such as measuring trees, catching bugs in the stream, finding hidden wildlife radio collars, testing different soils, and exploring rangeland plants and animals… all with the guidance of natural resources professionals. At the end of the week, campers have the opportunity to test their new knowledge on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, a race between teams to see who would succeed on the historic Corps of Discovery.

Besides learning about natural resources, campers also spend time enjoying the outdoors. Recreational activities include: fishing, hiking, basketball, volleyball, logger sports and crafts. There are also many group activities, such as swimming at Easley’s Hot Springs, campwide games and cabin competitions, and the Tournament of the Outdoors.

Nightly campfires offer fun songs and skits. Camp finishes on Saturday morning with an awards ceremony and time for campers and camp staff to interact with participants’ families and share the week’s excitement.

Lifelong friendships are made at the NRC. Many camp graduates have returned to the NRC as cabin leaders or camp staff and other camp alumni are sending their kids and grandkids to camp for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

• University of Idaho Extension
• University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
• Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts
• Idaho Department of Lands
• Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission
• Simplot
• Bureau of Land Management
• Natural Resource Conservation Service
• U.S. Forest Service
• Idaho Department of Fish and Game
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service