Interest has been strong for the upcoming North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program (WHEP), April 24, 2010. Eighty junior and senior level youth from eight counties will compete in the 2010 State Competition at the Jordan Lake Educational State Forest in Chapel Hill, NC.
WHEP is a national 4-H program that teaches about the fundamentals of wildlife management, develops team and leadership skills, and provides an opportunity for 4-H members to work with natural resource professionals.
NC WHEP is run out of NC State University Extension Forestry and has been growing every year since 2000. "Our state teams are consistently placing within the top 10 in the nation," states Renee Strnad, Extension Forestry Environmental Educator and NC WHEP Organizer. The 2009 NC Team placed 6th Overall and 4th in the Written Wildlife Management Plan at the National Contest in Louisiana. An article written by previous national competitor and Henderson County 4-H club member, Caleb Worrell, appears in BlueRidgeNow.com and explains how his experiences with WHEP and other 4-H naturalist activities have shaped his interest in natural resources.
NC WHEP is sponsored by the State Council of Quail Unlimited. Their sponsorship provides awards at the state level for teams and individuals, as well as covering the registration cost and some travel to the national contest. "It can be very expensive to send teams of six people across the country to compete at the national level," explains Strnad, "so in addition to studying and preparing for the national contest, the county representing North Carolina at the national level must do a lot of fundraising to help cover their travel costs."
The first place senior team from the State Competition this year will have the opportunity to represent North Carolina at the National WHEP Invitational in July in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
For more information, contact Renee Strnad at 919-515-5518 or renee_strnad@ncsu.edu