Sturgeon Lake Hosts Junior Forest Rangers Grad

Sturgeon Lake Hosts Junior Forest Rangers Grad

Thursday, August 17, 2006 at 13:33

A dozen Aboriginal students from the Sturgeon Lake and James Smith First Nations are graduating this afternoon from Saskatchewan’s first-ever Junior Forest Rangers program.

Canadian Forest Service spokesman Mike Newman says the group of Native youth had a chance to experience a career in the forest industry over the last six weeks.

The Junior Forest Rangers program offers youth a look into the industry through nature walks, tree planting, wildfire research and forest management.

It also incorporates a cultural component, which includes traditional land use seminars with elders.

Newman says the program has been offered in other provinces, but never in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan pilot project is coming to a close this afternoon with a graduation ceremony at the Sturgeon Lake First Nation’s Amisk camp.