PURVIS -- Teachers interested in learning more about conservation education can register for the 50th annual Teachers Conservation Workshop, to be held twice this summer.

Instructors at the six-day event include foresters from the Mississippi State University Extension Service, Mississippi Forestry Commission, private industry and consulting firms, as well as biologists, historians and landowners. The workshop will be in Booneville at Northeast Mississippi Community College June 2-7 and in Ellisville at Jones County Junior College June 16-21.

Teachers, school administrators, youth educators, college students and others interested in natural resources conservation are invited to apply. Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be certified to teach the nationally acclaimed environmental education curriculum, Project Learning Tree.

Activities include forestry field trips, nature walks and water studies. Scheduled activities begin early in the morning and end at night.

The $100 registration fee includes all meals and lodging, a T-shirt and course materials. A limited number of registration fee sponsorships are available through local organizations, such as the county forestry association and the Soil and Water Conservation District.

Deadline for applying is one week before each workshop. Continuing Education Units are available for an extra charge and with the completion of a final exam and lesson plan. Academic credits are available through MSU, University of Southern Mississippi and University of Mississippi. Participants must attend all scheduled sessions to receive CEUs or academic credit.

The event is sponsored by the Mississippi Forestry Association in collaboration with the MSU Extension Service; Mississippi Forestry Commission; Natural Resources Conservation Service; Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks; and the U.S. Forest Service.

For more information and a registration form, go to http://www.msforestry.net.