Posted: May 27, 2026
Recently, Penn State Extension gave youth from across Pennsylvania an opportunity to explore their interest in wildlife and forestry at the 4-H Wildlife and Forestry Field Day, which was held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs.
The event was open to external participants, including those not involved in 4-H. The 2026 theme was "Habitats."
Micah Staples, 4-H environmental science state project ambassador, opened the program, telling participants that the environment around them can look very different depending on location.
"Throughout the day, you'll journey through forests, rainforests, meadows, freshwater ecosystems, deserts, wetlands, oceans and taigas, learning what makes them all unique and how animals adapt to these different environments to survive," he said.
The "Exploratory Track" for youth included overviews of different habitats, hands-on wildlife and forestry educational activities, and guest speakers.
Workshops included:
- "Forests," with Paul Smith from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's WoodMobile.
- "Rainforests," with Tyler Depman, 4-H environmental science state project ambassador from Montgomery County.
- "Fresh Water," with Micah Staples, 4-H environmental science state project ambassador from Monroe County.
- "Meadows," with Jake Smith and Madeline Nelly from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
- "Deserts," with Kayla Fusselman, 4-H extension educator based in Carbon County.
- "Wetlands," with Abby Brockett, 4-H extension educator based in Venango County.
- "Oceans," with Caroline Martin, Union County Conservation District.
- "Taigas," with Sara Neral, 4-H program coordinator based in Wayne County.
The "Science Tract" offered youth ages 12-18 the opportunity to participate in a series of educational sessions to build their knowledge and skills in wildlife and forest sciences.
According to organizers, the sessions brought to life content from 4-H wildlife and forestry project books and helped youth better understand current conservation issues. The event also aimed to inspire participants to explore potential career paths in forest and wildlife conservation.
Science tract facilitators included Michael Powell and Katie Brooks, agronomy and natural resources extension educators; John Bruner, Casimir Wheat, and Tristan Samland, students from the Penn State Dubois wildlife program; Justin Heasley, 4-H extension educator in Warren and Forest counties; Tiffany Morris, 4-H extension educator from Mercer County; and Rea Gibble, 4-H extension educator in McKean County.
Table displays and hands-on activities were available throughout the day and were provided by Judi Sittler and John McCullough from Trout Unlimited, Chuck Coup from Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Colin Finch from Pheasants Forever, and Trevor Fetterman, a 4-H member from Somerset County.
Teens competed in knowledge and skills tests for the opportunity to attend national 4-H competitions.
The first-place team in the forestry competition included Trevor Fetterman, of Somerset County; Nathan Kennedy, of Indiana County; Carson Riley, of Huntingdon County; and Anya Brown, of Somerset County. This group will represent Pennsylvania at the 2026 National Forestry Competition, July 19-23, at Jackson's Mill State 4-H Conference Center, Weston, West Virginia.
Top achievements in forestry science included:
- First place to Trevor Fetterman, of Somerset County.
- Second place to Nathan Kennedy, of Indiana County.
- Third place to Carson Riley, of Huntingdon County.
- Fourth place to Micah Staples, of Monroe County.
The individual wildlife science competition resulted in:
- First place to Seth Brehm, of Huntingdon County.
- Second place to Tyler Depman, of Montgomery County.
- Third place to Chance Kirby, of Butler County.
- Fourth place to Elijah Steele, of Mifflin County.
The wildlife and forestry art contest invited entries that featured wildlife or forestry themes. Participants were required to submit paintings, drawings, or photographs created within the project year. For the art and photo contest, 62 4-H members exhibited 140 entries.
Zephan Samuel, of Butler County, won "Best of Show" for photography, and Maja Fair, of Montgomery County, earned "Best of Show" for art. The People's Choice Award went to Anja Przybycien, of Tioga County. In 2027, Pennsylvania will host the National Wildlife Habitat Education Program contest, and members were asked to design a T-shirt. Maja Fair was the winner of the WHEP design contest.
The 4-H program would like to acknowledge the sponsors who support the 4-H youth in the environmental science programs. Sponsors include Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Pennsylvania Hardwood, Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, Northern Tier Hardwoods Association, Keystone Wood Products Association, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, and Collegiate Pride.
The event was a collaboration among 4-H educators, state 4-H program staff, state 4-H project ambassadors, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources staff, volunteers, and council members.
