The 2020 summer season at Barry Conservation Camp has been cancelled. New Hampshire 4-H, which operates the camp through the University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Cooperative Extension, has made the difficult decision not to open Barry Camp this summer to ensure the safety of campers and staff in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency in the Granite State.
Recommended social distancing guidelines, expected to apply throughout the summer, create insurmountable challenges to programming and educational execution as well as the safe accommodation of campers and staff. Additional legal requirements which must also be met to host the summer season contribute to the barriers preventing operation in 2020.
Of the decision to remain closed this summer, Barry Camp’s Director Larry Barker, of UNH Cooperative Extension, stated, “The current situation is making it impossible for us to meet some very basic legal requirements necessary to operate the camp including physician documentation for campers and staff confirming that they are healthy and prepared for the rigors of camp. Some people can’t even get appointments with their primary care providers right now.”
“This is sad for all of us—the campers, our dedicated staff, and the many public and private supporters of camp,” Barker continued. “But Barry Camp will endure because of the shared belief in the opportunities this camp brings to kids from all of those who know and love it.”
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Mark Beauchesne concluded, “We are all looking forward to returning to Berlin in the summer of 2021 to rekindle and celebrate the traditions and magic that make Barry Camp so special.”
If you have questions regarding the cancellation of the 2020 summer program at Barry Camp, contact Larry Barker at Larry.barker@unh.edu.
Barry Conservation Camp is a nonprofit dedicated to educating youth, connecting them with the outdoors, and helping them to appreciate New Hampshire’s natural resources. To learn more about Barry Camp, visit https://extension.unh.edu/blog/barry-conservation-4-h-camp-information or call Larry Barker at (603) 788-4961.
You can help support Barry Conservation Camp and ensure that it continues to connect future generations to life outdoors by contributing to the Barry Camp Fund. Donations help support maintenance of the camp facilities. Learn more at www.wildnh.com/barrycamp.
It is also still possible to support Barry Camp programs or camp scholarships. Visit the UNH Cooperative Extension’s Barry Conservation 4-H Camp page at https://extension.unh.edu/programs/barry-conservation-4-h-camp to learn more about how you can help connect youth with life outdoors.
