Photos by Brian Baldwin

Tweleve children will receive HSV Audubon scholarships this summer, for an exciting week at Halberg Ecology Camp in Central Arkansas. A record number of senior and advanced campers were invited back this year.

The camp offers young people a special hands-on experience to help them appreciate and understand their natural environment. Many staff members, educators and volunteers, return year after year to help guide the campers into the natural world of aquatic biology, botany, entomology, geology, ornithology, mammalogy and herpetology.

The Arkansas Audubon Society Halberg Ecology Camp is held each June at Camp Clearfork, a U.S. Forest Service camp between Hot Springs and Mt. Ida. Starting in 2001 the camp expanded to two sessions (from one in past years) with each session having sixty-two 11- and 12-year old youth, about equally boys and girls.

Arkansas Audubon Society began the Halberg Ecology Camp in 1980, for 11 and 12 year olds, to learn about their natural environment and how to protect it. Since 1983, the HSV Audubon has offered full scholarships to local students from Jessieville, Fountain Lake and Mountain Pine Schools.

HSV Audubon started with one scholarship per school and now offers up to six per year to first year campers and has also provided scholarships to senior and advanced campers who have been invited back. Any 11 or 12 year old can apply for next year's camp by going online to Arkansas Audubon Society or by contacting Teri LaBove at (501) 915-9101, for information.