PIKEVILLE, TN – Tennessee Future Farmers of America (FFA) members attended State Forestry Camp Sunday, May 31st through Friday, June 5th. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry led 43 FFA members in a week long learning experience at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Pikeville, Tennessee. 

Since 1950, FFA Forestry Camp has been teaching students the value of environmental conservation and responsible forestry practices. The camp is facilitated by Division of Forestry foresters, consulting foresters and one Domtar forester. 

Chapters attending the camp ranged from South Side FFA in Madison County, Hendersonville FFA and Bledsoe FFA in East Tennessee. Upcoming juniors and seniors must be nominated by their high school agriculture teacher to attend the camp. 

Forestry Camp provides students with outdoor, hands-on instruction on the knowledge and responsibilities of the forestry profession around Camp and at Assembly. For Assembly, groups rotate each night to lead the evening program, and individuals are given the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, team build with their peers and fortify their commitment to FFA. 

FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Nationally, there are 610,240 FFA members, aged 12-21. The Tennessee FFA Association is comprised of more than 13,000 members from 214 high school chapters, seven middle school chapters, and eight collegiate chapters across the state of Tennessee.

Photo caption: Tennessee Future Farmers of America (FFA) members pose during FFA Forestry Camp hosted at Fall Creek Falls State Park