Youth Outreach Programs

Our immersive science and forestry programs provide youth with field-based learning, hands-on doing, and opportunities to meet other youth to expand everyone's creative abilities. Through these programs, youth gain opportunities to develop an appreciation and understanding of the natural world and question what is going on around them at an early age.

Conservation Education Days

Conservation Education Days engages Carlton County’s 5th graders in field-based learning about their environment. Students spend a day at the CFC traveling along our trails to 11 different stations where presenters teach them about topics like macroinvertebrates, the process of turning logs into lumber, tree identification, and what to do if lost in the woods.

The Conservation Education Days program began in 1968. Its continued success relies on a partnership between:

  • UMN Cloquet Forestry Center
  • Carlton County
  • MN Department of Natural Resources
  • Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
  • Sappi

Forestry Adventure Days

Forestry Adventure Days uses the great outdoors as a classroom to excite kids about the fields of science and forestry. Spring and Summer sessions are offered for ages 3-12 as campers and ages 13-18 as assistants. Previous Forestry Adventure Days included wagon tours, boat races and wildlife tracking as well as projects to make forest faces, sun art, and field guides.

Spring Forestry Adventure Days are typically held on Friday and Monday around Easter weekend.

  • Spring Program Dates: Friday, April 7th and Monday, April 10, 2023

Summer Forestry Adventure Days are held the second and third Wednesday and Thursday in July.

  • Summer Program Dates: Wednesday and Thursday, July 12-13 and Wednesday and Thursday, July 19-20, 2023

Field Trips

Field trips for K-12 students can be arranged upon request. Topics can be specialized to individual groups. Previous field trips include wildlife, forestry, rock cycles, and invasive species emphasis. Field trips vary in length from part to full day events.