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Green Mountain Conservation Camp

Conservation Camp

Educating youth about Vermont’s wild habitats to inspire meaningful relationships with the environment and foster genuine connections with their peers. 

Due to COVID-19 and the requirements necessary to keep staff and campers safe and healthy, please be aware that although registration will open with all camp weeks available to the full number of campers as in past years, we will be following any guidance relating to summer camps released by the Vermont Department of Health and the Governor’s office. There is an inherent risk of contracting COVID-19 in any place where people gather, including at GMCC. If at any point we deem that it is no longer safe for campers and staff to be present at camp due to COVID-19, we will cancel the session and send all campers home immediately. In this event a full refund will be issued. 

Green Mountain Conservation Camp (GMCC) offers hands-on learning experiences about fish, wildlife, ecology, botany, forestry, hunter firearm safety, outdoor first aid, and so much more.

GMCC offers opportunities for hiking, canoeing, fishing, archery, .22 rifle and shotgun shooting, orienteering, and other fun activities. Campers have a unique opportunity to meet Vermont State Game Wardens, foresters, fisheries and wildlife biologists, and others who work in the outdoors.

Wildlife education and outdoor skills are the focus of GMCC and the program’s goal is to cultivate a caring attitude among our youth for Vermont’s fish and wildlife resources.

Registration Information & Online Link (Registration is open)

2024 GMCC Weekly Schedule

A GMCC Summer: Life Through the Eyes of a Camper

Camp Locations

Buck Lake Camp

1051 Buck Lake Road
Woodbury, VT 05681
Map | Directions

Buck Lake Camp in Woodbury, Vermont is pleasantly nestled in the woods alongside Buck Lake.

Edward F. Kehoe Camp

636 Point of Pines Road
Castleton, VT 05735
Map | Directions

Kehoe Camp is located on Lake Bomoseen in Castleton, Vermont and features a particularly beautiful mountain view.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can attend GMCC?

GMCC offers separate weeks for boys and girls. Any youth can choose what week they would prefer to attend based on their desire and comfort. 

Basic Week Session:
Youths ages 12-14 (Children must be 12 years old before or during the week they attend camp.)

Advanced Week Session:
Youths ages 12-16 whom have completed the basic week.

Campers cannot attend both a basic week session and an advanced week session in the same summer.

Is your child 15-17? Check out our Teen Conservation Weekend

What do campers do at GMCC?

We focus on activities about natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation skills, with topics including:

  • Vermont's fish and wildlife
  • Wetland ecology
  • First aid and outdoor safety
  • Fly-fishing and spin casting
  • Fly-tying
  • Archery
  • Hiking and camping
  • Canoeing
  • Hunter and Bowhunter Education
  • Safe firearms handling
  • Forests and forestry

How do I register my child for GMCC?

Cost: $250 for a fun-filled week of learning in Vermont's great outdoors!

Registration Information & Online Link

View Weekly Camp Sessions

Are scholarships available?

Yes, GMCC offers a limited number of scholarships on a first come, first served basis thanks to donations from various community members. To request a full or partial scholarship, please reach out to the GMCC office at 802-522-2925 or FWGMCC@vermont.gov before you submit your child’s application.

GMCC Sponsors

Many civic organizations and fish and game clubs throughout Vermont happily sponsor campers to attend GMCC each year. In order to receive a sponsorship, applicants must reach out to the organization of their choice directly. If they agree to sponsor your camper, they will provide you with a completed Sponsorship Agreement Form. This form must list the current year and be attached to your application as proof of sponsorship in order for the application to be accepted.

Download GMCC Sponsor List 

IMPORTANT: Campers receiving a scholarship or sponsorship to attend GMCC and wish to cancel their registration are required to notify the GMCC office via email at least two weeks prior to the start of the session. Failing to submit notice of cancelation by the two-week deadline will result in the camper being billed for the full amount of the scholarship or sponsorship they received.

If you have any questions regarding scholarships or sponsorships, please contact the GMCC office at (802)- 522-2925 or e-mail us at FWGMCC@vermont.gov.

What else should parents know?

If your child is a basic week camper, please remember to complete the pre-camp reading of the hunter education and bow hunting education study guides. Use the links below to access the online study guides.

Online Hunter Education Study Guide

Online Bowhunter Education Study Guide

For those participating in the advanced week trapping course, please read the pre-camp trapper course guide. Use the link below to access the online study guide.

Online Trapper Education Study Guide

How do I sponsor one or more youth to attend GMCC?

There are several different ways to become a sponsor, and we have options to accommodate as many needs as possible. Learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Questions regarding camp availability and registration:

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