Youth and Conservation go hand-in-hand at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center and the Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge through a summer Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program. The program gives youth, ages 15 to 18, hands-on experience learning about the natural world by working with natural resource agencies for eight weeks during the summer.

Five teenagers and one adult crew leader make up this summer's crew. They are working on several outdoor conservation projects at both the Refuge and the Center, including tree and shrub planting, native garden maintenance, stream monitoring, invasive species control, and fence removal.

"It's great to see the crew working together and learning along the way," says this summer's YCC Crew leader, Scott Stipetich.

The Center's Corps have assisted in habitat restoration projects, including installing fish structures in a Fish Creek tributary. Prior year's Corps helped build the Aldo Leopold Stewardship Trail on Center land and pulled several miles of old fence from Refuge lands.

The 8^th annual Kids Fishing Day held on June 2^nd had an amazing net of 321 kids and 205 adults! Forty-six workers and volunteers staffed the event, and 19 sponsors donated their time or products to the event, allowing for a variety of learning opportunities. Families made their way through 14 stations, each one covering a different fishing-related topic, enabling kids to fish on their own, and test their skills at the Center's pond!

Over the course of the day, the families learned about fish habitat, fishing tackle, fish identification, and how to handle different types of fish. Young anglers worked on their knot tying, fly tying, and casting skills. Participants were advised of current fishing implications, such as harmful effects of lead tackle on loons and other waterfowl, and preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.