Utah Paleo Camp with the BLM
When BLM Regional Paleontologist Greg McDonald was hired at the Utah State Office last year, dino-sized projects immediately began to evolve. One of his best ideas was a new week-long Paleo Camp for middle school students. He reached out to a STEM-based charter school in Salt Lake City that the BLM-Utah youth program was already familiar with: the Salt Lake Center for Science Education (SLCSE). The school’s outdoor exploration instructor, Cavett Eaton, agreed to help pilot the new Paleo Camp.
The BLM-Utah program leads and SLCSE teachers collaborated to develop a unique itinerary that emphasized two themes: BLM-Utah’s world-class paleontological resources and recreation sites. The team identified campsites, interpretative sites, age-appropriate challenge and STEM activities, and learning goals.
In June, BLM-Utah youth program state lead, Jeanette Matovich Shackelford, attended a National Association for Interpretation (NAI) training course, where she presented on the SLCSE Paleo Camp and recruited three young classmates, who were trained wilderness first responders, to mentor students and help keep the team safe. The Essential Interpretation Skills Course added unexpected, exponential value because camp would not have been camp without enthusiastic youth interns Ryan Ashcraft, Marissa Sly, and Alex Studd-Sojka. The SLCSE teachers suggested that the BLM continue to enhance its youth education programs by recruiting skilled mentors from NAI's training programs.
SLCSE Paleo Camp took place August 7-11, 2017. The first stop was the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry (CLDQ). Price Field Office Geologist Mike Leschin led the students on a tour and discussed the "Jurassic Mystery" about why there are so many predators-- especially allosaurs-- at CLDQ. From there, the group traveled to the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite, where Canyon Country District Paleontologist ReBecca Hunt-Foster showed the group various trace fossils, including theropod, ornithopod, and sauropod dinosaur tracks.
The highlight of Paleo Camp was working with Regional Paleontologist Brent Breithaupt (Wyoming State Office) and Geographer Neffra Matthews (National Operations Center) at the Mail Station Tracksite south of Moab, UT. The BLM experts showed the students how to clean off dinosaur tracks, and then measure and photograph these using photogrammetric techniques. Neffra entered the data into a program that created 3D images of the tracks with the help of NOC co-worker Christopher Anderson-Tarver, while Brent showed the students how to calculate dinosaur hip height and stride length from their measurements. NOC GIS intern Andy Eaman assisted the groups with cleaning the surface and helping the students.
Because the project was intended to be an applied exercise, the students collected primary data that the BLM will use for management and interpretation purposes. This was some of the first scientific data collected at this Early Jurassic tracksite and will help provide insights into the life and times of the prehistoric animals that once roamed through the ancient Utah.
Between paleo sessions, the kids took advantage of Utah’s awesome recreation opportunities. They hiked, rappelled down red rock cliff faces, and went kayaking at Ken's Lake. At the closing awards ceremony, Greg handed out signed "Dinosaur Tracker" certificates and Junior Ranger Paleontology pins.
The team is already gearing up for the next SLCSE Paleo Camp, scheduled for May 16-18, 2018 at Lone Mesa Campground near Moab, UT. For more information, please contact Greg McDonald at 801-539-4032. You can also check out our camp adventures at #SLCSEPaleoCamp.
Special thanks to our SLCSE Paleo Camp youth mentors and supervisors: John Reffit, Pompey’s Pillar National Monument; Mandy Hedstrom, Montana Conservation Corps; and Stephanie McBride and Sandra McGinnis, BLM California State Office.
The BLM-Utah program leads and SLCSE teachers collaborated to develop a unique itinerary that emphasized two themes: BLM-Utah’s world-class paleontological resources and recreation sites. The team identified campsites, interpretative sites, age-appropriate challenge and STEM activities, and learning goals.
In June, BLM-Utah youth program state lead, Jeanette Matovich Shackelford, attended a National Association for Interpretation (NAI) training course, where she presented on the SLCSE Paleo Camp and recruited three young classmates, who were trained wilderness first responders, to mentor students and help keep the team safe. The Essential Interpretation Skills Course added unexpected, exponential value because camp would not have been camp without enthusiastic youth interns Ryan Ashcraft, Marissa Sly, and Alex Studd-Sojka. The SLCSE teachers suggested that the BLM continue to enhance its youth education programs by recruiting skilled mentors from NAI's training programs.
SLCSE Paleo Camp took place August 7-11, 2017. The first stop was the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry (CLDQ). Price Field Office Geologist Mike Leschin led the students on a tour and discussed the "Jurassic Mystery" about why there are so many predators-- especially allosaurs-- at CLDQ. From there, the group traveled to the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite, where Canyon Country District Paleontologist ReBecca Hunt-Foster showed the group various trace fossils, including theropod, ornithopod, and sauropod dinosaur tracks.
The highlight of Paleo Camp was working with Regional Paleontologist Brent Breithaupt (Wyoming State Office) and Geographer Neffra Matthews (National Operations Center) at the Mail Station Tracksite south of Moab, UT. The BLM experts showed the students how to clean off dinosaur tracks, and then measure and photograph these using photogrammetric techniques. Neffra entered the data into a program that created 3D images of the tracks with the help of NOC co-worker Christopher Anderson-Tarver, while Brent showed the students how to calculate dinosaur hip height and stride length from their measurements. NOC GIS intern Andy Eaman assisted the groups with cleaning the surface and helping the students.
Because the project was intended to be an applied exercise, the students collected primary data that the BLM will use for management and interpretation purposes. This was some of the first scientific data collected at this Early Jurassic tracksite and will help provide insights into the life and times of the prehistoric animals that once roamed through the ancient Utah.
Between paleo sessions, the kids took advantage of Utah’s awesome recreation opportunities. They hiked, rappelled down red rock cliff faces, and went kayaking at Ken's Lake. At the closing awards ceremony, Greg handed out signed "Dinosaur Tracker" certificates and Junior Ranger Paleontology pins.
The team is already gearing up for the next SLCSE Paleo Camp, scheduled for May 16-18, 2018 at Lone Mesa Campground near Moab, UT. For more information, please contact Greg McDonald at 801-539-4032. You can also check out our camp adventures at #SLCSEPaleoCamp.
Special thanks to our SLCSE Paleo Camp youth mentors and supervisors: John Reffit, Pompey’s Pillar National Monument; Mandy Hedstrom, Montana Conservation Corps; and Stephanie McBride and Sandra McGinnis, BLM California State Office.
