DEC summer camp registrations open on March 24

ALBANY, N.Y. (WWTI) - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced that online registration for the 2024 Summer Camps program will open at 1 p.m. March 24.

Guardians can register youth for a week of camp, manage their accounts, and complete required forms and waivers through a link from the DEC Summer Camps webpage. Parents and guardians are encouraged to register early since many weeks fill up quickly and are advised to monitor the webpage for upcoming announcements on 2024 camp forms.

DEC’s summer camps are a great way to introduce kids to the outdoors and everything it offers. DEC’s summer camps provide children and teens with opportunities to experience outdoor activities and environmental stewardship, all while encouraging our next generation of conservationists

Basil Seggos, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner

Now in its 77th year, the DEC Summer Camps program offers week-long adventures in conservation education for children ages 11-17. DEC operates four residential camps for kids: Camp Colby in Saranac Lake (Franklin County); Camp DeBruce in Livingston Manor (Sullivan County); Camp Rushford in Caneadea (Allegany County); and Camp Pack Forest in Warrensburg (Warren County). Opening of specific camps is dependent on staff availability.

All four camps offer at least six one-week sessions (Sunday to Friday) beginning June 30, 2024; Camp Colby, Rushford, and Pack Forest will operate for seven weeks. One week of camp is $350 per child for 2024 and includes meals, trips, and a camp t-shirt.

In addition to inviting guardians to register children to participate in the DEC environmental education Summer Camps program, sporting clubs, civic groups, and environmental organizations are encouraged to sponsor one or more children for a week at camp. Information about becoming a sponsor and managing sponsor accounts is available at Sponsoring Youth to Camp on DEC’s website.