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Natural Resources and Outdoor Projects

Wildlife, conservation, insects, forestry, earth science, water, weather and outdoor-recreation project ideas.

Conservation, wildlife and environment

• Conservation and Wildlife Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAPractical ways to help local wildlife and land, starting in your own backyard or pasture.
• Earth's Capacity Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAHow many animals, people and crops can a piece of land support? Measure it and find out.
• Ecosystem Services Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAPollination, clean water and healthy soil are free services. Learn what they are worth and how to protect them.
• Environmental Science Project Ideas for 4-H and FFATest the water, soil and air around you and turn the numbers into a real argument.
• Environmental Stewardship Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAService projects that leave a creek, a campus or a pasture better than you found it.
• Exploring Your Environment Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAA first nature project for curious members: go outside, look closely, and write it down.
• Wildlife Conservation Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAPick one species, learn everything about it and find out what it needs from your county.
• Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Project Ideas for 4-H and FFALearn to read land the way a biologist does, then prepare for a habitat evaluation contest.

Insects, forestry, earth and water science

• Aquatic Science Project Ideas for 4-H and FFALife in ponds, streams and tanks, studied one dip net at a time.
• Astronomy Project Ideas for 4-H and FFA, A Beginner OverviewWhat the project covers and how a new member can start observing the sky tonight.
• Beekeeping Project Ideas for 4-H and FFA MembersFrom observation hives to a first season with a colony, and what it takes to do it safely.
• Insect Project Ideas for 4-H and FFA Entomology MembersCollect, identify and study the animals that outnumber everything else on the farm.
• Forest Management and Products Project Ideas, A Starter GuideWhat this project covers and how a new member gets started without owning a single acre of timber.
• Forestry Project Ideas for 4-H and FFATrees, timber and the people who manage woodlands for the long haul.
• Rockhound Geology Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAA starter guide to collecting, identifying and understanding the rocks under your boots.
• Water Science Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAWhere your water comes from, what is in it and why every farm lives or dies by it.
• Weather and Climate Project Ideas for 4-H and FFABuild a backyard weather station and find out why farmers check the forecast before breakfast.

Sustainability, range, wildlife and hides

• Amphibians Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAFrogs, toads and salamanders are early warning signs for healthy water.
• Bird Behavior Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAWatch closely, count carefully, and learn why birds do what they do.
• Maple Syrup Project Ideas for 4-H and FFA: Starter GuideHow a new member gets from sugar bush to syrup jar.
• Meteorology Project Ideas for 4-H and FFATurn a backyard weather station into real data and a real project.
• Range Management Project Ideas: Contests, Awards and RecordsHow members show their rangeland knowledge, from plant identification contests to well-kept record books.
• Rangeland Ecosystems Project Ideas for 4-H and FFALearn to read grass, soil and grazing the way a range manager does.
• Recycling and Sustainability Project Ideas for 4-H and FFACut waste at home and on the farm, then count what you saved.
• Tanned Hides Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAFrom raw skin to finished leather, one careful step at a time.
• Taxidermy Project Ideas for 4-H and FFA: Where to BeginWhat the project involves, what it demands, and how new members start.
• Wildflowers Project Ideas for 4-H and FFA: Getting StartedA beginner's overview of studying, growing and documenting native blooms.

Outdoor recreation and heritage

• Camping Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAPlan it, pack it, and leave the site better than you found it.
• Canoeing and Kayaking Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAPaddle skills, water safety and a closer look at local waterways.
• Fishing and Fly Tying Project Ideas for 4-H and FFALearn the water, the fish and the small craft of tying your own flies.
• Hiking and Backpacking Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAStart with a day hike, finish with a pack that makes sense.
• Hunting Skills Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAEthics, safety, wildlife knowledge and hunter education come first.
• Off-Highway Vehicles Project Ideas for 4-H and FFASafety training, responsible riding and land ethics before any throttle.
• Outdoor Adventurer Project Ideas for 4-H and FFABuild the skills that make a trip safe before you chase the fun part.
• Rock Climbing Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAStrength helps, but judgment, technique and trained supervision matter more.
• Snowmobiling Project Ideas for 4-H and FFASafe riding starts with training, the right gear and respect for ice and land.
• Sportfishing Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAPond, river or lake, the goal is skill, safety and respect for the resource.
• Western Heritage Project Ideas for 4-H and FFA: An OverviewWhat the project is, how new members begin, and why history is the point.
• Cross-Country Skiing and Winter Travel Project Ideas for 4-H and FFAMake winter an outdoor season with skis, snowshoes and good planning.