Post on 24-Apr-2018
University of Arizona James 4-H Camp Green Retrofit Project
Abstract (less than 250 words)
University of Arizona 4-H is requesting funds for the design and installation of green retrofitting
projects at the University of Arizona’s new James 4-H Camp & Outdoor Learning Center located
on Mingus Mountain near Prescott, AZ. Arizona 4-H requests $50,000 to design and install a
solar array system for several cabins; low flow toilets, waterless urinals, a solar hot water heater,
and gray water harvesting system for the bath house; and a composting toilet ,. The proposed
system will reduce the dependence on diesel-fueled generator power, re-use gray water for low-
flow toilets, and provide educational opportunities to introduce sustainable technologies for youth
and adult visitors. A $20,000 anonymous gift has already been received to help with conversion
of the well to a solar pump. The James 4-H Camp is American Camp Association (ACA)
accredited and is also the site for the Camp Corral program for children of wounded warriors
sponsored by the Golden Corral restaurant chain. With the green modifications to our facility, we
expect the camp to be viewed as a University asset that will draw sustainably-minded camp
programs, UA class trips, and local organization retreats to choose our camp for their low
environmental impact events.
Project Members, Partners and Affiliates
Dr. Kirk Astroth, Director, Arizona 4-H Youth Development
(520) 621-3390 kastroth@cals.arizona.edu
Astroth is the current Assistant Dean in the College of Agriculture and Director of the
Arizona 4-H Youth Development Program. He oversees the entire 4-H program for the state and
provides leadership for the James 4-H Camp which receives funding support from the Arizona 4-
H Youth Foundation and unrestricted gifts to the U of A Foundation.
Dr. Randy Ryan, Assistant Director, Agricultural Experiment Station
(520) 621-1845 rryan@ag.arizona.edu
Ryan works with the numerous facilities of the Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station in
the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, and is expert in solar conversions. His contacts with
solar companies and practical, hands-on experience in developing solar projects such as wells
and energy arrays will be of continuing importance to this project.
Dr. Ed Franklin, Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Education
520-940-3718 UAFrank0@email.arizona.edu
Franklin works closely with students who are interested in engineering projects and has
agreed to involve his students this year to install the self-contained solar units on each of the
cabins at the 4-H Camp.
Daniel Tomlinson, Facilities Manager, UA James 4-H Camp
(928) 830-6024 mingusmt5@gmail.com
Tomlinson is the on-site facilities manager with experience in plumbing, electrical, and
maintenance. Dan serves as the go-to trouble-shooter and resident expert with 5 years of
experience helping maintain and improve the camp under the previous owner, Henry Dahlberg.
Dan is a superb jack-of-all-trades and keeps the camp updated and running.
Brent Strickland, Associate Agent, Yavapai County 4-H Youth Development
(928) 445-6590 bstrick@cals.arizona.edu
Strickland has been an Extension faculty member for more than 10 years, serving first in La
Paz County and most recently in Yavapai County where 25% of his responsibilities relate to
support of the James 4-H Camp. Brent annually conducts several camps and programs for both
youth and adults. He provides back up for Tomlinson when he is unable to be present at the
camp.
Kristin Wisneski, UA James 4-H Camp Director
(520) 626-2884) kristinw@email.arizona.edu
Wisneski serves as camp director, providing daily oversight and guidance to the
implementation of our business plan, working in concert with the facilities manager and local
Extension liaison. Wisneski brings more than 7 years of experience in conducting and managing
camps and outdoor education programs. She has a master’s degree from the University of
Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment.
Glenda Thompson, Business Manager
(520) 621-7202 tglenda@cals.arizona.edu
Thompson has served as business manager for Cooperative Extension in the College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences for 10 years. She already handles most of the camp financials and
tracks accounts both in the UA College of Agriculture and at the University of Arizona Foundation
related to the James 4-H Camp.
Shane Doughty, Research Administrator, Program Coordinator, Senior
520-621-1921 or 520-954-0610 sdoughty@cals.arizona.edu
Doughty is the lead person who helps us with acquiring surplus property to support the
camp and recycle materials so that we do not have to buy new. Shane helped early on to
acquire a pickup truck for use as a utility vehicle at the camp. Most recently he has
helped locate a used diesel generator to replace our old generator (see description below
in narrative).
Partners & Affiliates
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
School of Natural Resources & the Environment
Agricultural Experiment Station
Arizona Cooperative Extension
Dahlberg Family Foundation
Yavapai County Extension
Camp Corral
Project Narrative
The Harold & Mitzie James 4-H Camp & Outdoor Learning Center is a new UA property
located atop Mingus Mountain between Prescott Valley and Jerome. Run as Mingus Springs
Camp for 40+ years, the Henry Dahlberg Family Foundation offered to sell the camp to Arizona 4-
H in 2010 for well-below its appraised value. Dahlberg wanted to ensure that the camp
maintained the conservation ethic that he had developed at the camp along with partnerships with
Arizona Fish & Game, the US Forest Service and the Wild Turkey Federation, among others. He
felt that 4-H would continue and expand the sustainable foundation he had put into place at the
Mingus Springs Camp. Since the 1970’s, it has been a goal of Arizona 4-H to have its own
statewide camp and conference center. In 2011, this dream became a reality.
The 55-acre James 4-H Camp at Mingus Springs is located near the summit of Mingus
Mountain approximately 7 miles off State Highway 89A between Prescott and Cottonwood,
Arizona at an elevation of about 6,500 ft. A variety of on-going natural resources research
projects sponsored by the Dahlberg Foundation and other donors are continuing in an effort to
support conservation and resource management. There are miles of hiking trails, meadows and
forests, extensive riparian areas and a two-acre pond. More traditional recreational facilities
include softball, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, fishing, swimming, Frisbee golf, orienteering
and a challenge course. The camp is located within the Prescott National Forest (928-443-8000)
and the Verde Ranger District (928-567-4121).
Arizona 4-H annually touches the lives of more than 184,000 young people all over the
state—about 4 times the student body at the main campus of the University,. Not surprisingly,
then, we say that Arizona 4-H is “your first class from the University of Arizona.” This year,
Arizona 4-H celebrates 100 years of connecting young people with science, technology and
engineering projects in more than 100 project offerings. The James 4-H Camp has the unique
opportunity to engage a wide variety of audiences, bringing together those from limited income,
underserved families as well as those with access to a variety of services; youth living in both
urban and rural areas; and those who participate in other aspects of 4-H in a club or school
enrichment activity.
The James 4-H Camp and Outdoor Learning Center is also a university-wide resource
that is available to all student, faculty and staff groups for retreats, leadership training, group
building and environmental education. Last year, during our first season of operation, the James
4-H Camp hosted more than 500 4-H youth and adults at a variety of camps. Extension faculty
have also used the camp for professional development retreats. We are actively promoting the
camp to campus groups and encourage them to use the facility. UA groups get a special
discounted rate lower than the public rate. With its rich history and focus on camping and
program collaboration, the James 4-H Camp is an ideal location for groups to meet, host
workshops, learn about and experience the natural world as well as participate in the essence of
leadership and research.
Since acquiring the James 4-H Camp in 2011, we have been actively working to create a
more sustainable and “green” camp and outdoor learning center. One of the first steps was to
institute a recycling program for trash in cooperation with Waste Management. As a result, we
have already begun to reduce waste generation at the camp.
Another goal is to eventually make the James 4-H Camp a model demonstration of
sustainability be converting our power needs from diesel and propane. After all, shouldn’t camps
and outdoor learning centers serve as models of sustainability and environmental compatibility?
Currently, the camp is off-grid and powered by a 24KW diesel generator with two older back-up
units in case the main unit fails. These units are located in the camp’s power house
approximately 500 yards from the main camp. Diesel fuel is delivered as needed from Prescott,
Arizona. Several concerns including the age and remaining life of the main generator, cost and
carbon-footprint of use and delivery of diesel fuel, generator noise, and unreliability of the power
source have spurred our efforts for solar conversion—along with the fact that it is the right thing to
do in Arizona. The well pump, cabins, rec hall, dining hall, kitchen, nurses cabin, cook’s cabin and
bath house are all illuminated by the power from this diesel generator. In addition, propane
provides fuel for the ovens in the kitchen and a few wall heaters located in various cabins.
In 2012, we were successful in soliciting an anonymous donation for converting the well
to solar energy. This generous $20,000 contribution recognized our goal of improving our energy
efficiency. We had hoped to begin the conversion of the well to a solar pump this fall but a major
flood event on August 21st destroyed our access road and prevented any other major construction
work until the road could be repaired—which it was in November 2012.
In addition, we have applied for an NCCC work team (National Community Conservation
Crew) through AmeriCorps to help with other improvements at the camp. This work crew is just
another example of how we hope to make the UA’s James 4-H Camp a model camp facility that
draws on an array of community resources.
This coming year, a major goal is to improve the camp’s energy efficiency and reduce
waste to implementing five specific projects: (1) solar conversion of the 12 cabins, Rec Center
and Dining Hall; (2) water harvesting from the bath house; (3) installation of low-flow toilets and
waterless urinals; (4) installation of a composting toilet near the large bunkhouse on the north end
of camp, and (5) solar hot water heater for bath house. Each of these projects is described
separately below.
Solar Conversion of Cabins, Rec Center & Dining Hall
At present, the camp has 12 cabins with a total of about 100 beds. Cabins currently have
incandescent bulbs for lighting which are only one during times when the generator is in operation
(on at 6:00 AM and off at 10:00 PM). Lighting in the cabins is minimal but necessary. If funded,
this project will help provide funds to acquire panels, batteries and inverters for self-contained
units using LED lights that are specially designed not to attract insects at night. Each of the
cabins needs 5 lights, the Rec Center needs 10 lights and the Dining Hall also requires 10
lights—a total of 80 LED lights. Lights will be motion-sensitive activated for further energy
savings.
Dr. Ed Franklin’s AgEd class on campus has agreed to install these self-contained units
as they have already done with other solar projects.
Water Harvesting from Bath House
Currently, the water from the bath house simply drains into the existing septic system and
drain field which also serves as the ball field. Under our proposal, we will capture gray water from
the showers and roof, store it in a tank, and with the assistance of a small pressurizing pump re-
use the water for the toilets. We plan to install a small chlorinator to ensure that no one mistakes
this water as potable.
Low Flow Toilets and Waterless Urinals
The current toilets at the camp are old-style 1.5 gal/flush toilets that are so inefficient that
guest are instructed to flush twice—further wasting perfectly good, clean water that could be used
for drinking or washing purposes. Our proposal seeks funds to purchase 11 low-flow toilets and 2
waterless urinals to be installed at the bath house, in the cook’s cabin and the nurse’s cabin.
We plan to have the NCCC work team install low-flow toilets and waterless urinals this
spring at the camp, further improving our efficiency and reducing fresh water usage at the camp.
Composting Toilet
The fourth component of our proposal is to purchase and install a modern, two-hole
composting toilet to be located at the site presently occupied by a traditional portable toilet near
the large bunk on the north part of the camp. At night, it can be a long walk down to the bath
house from this building, so the previous owner installed a portable toilet near the building. We
want to replace this with a composting toilet and use the solar LED-powered lights to provide
motion-sensitive lighting at night for those who need to use the facilities. This composting toilet
will be used as an educational resource at the camp to help camp users understand how
technology can improve our lives, reduce waste (literally) and still maintain a clean environment.
Educational signs will help educate camp users.
Solar Hot Water Heater
The bath house currently uses a propane-fueled hot water heater. We propose to
convert this unit to an on-demand solar heater using the latest in technology. We will be able to
document how much has been saved in propane use bases on previous years’ worth of records.
Involvement of/Benefits to UA Students
The James 4-H Camp is a campus-wide resource that can be used inexpensively
($20/person/night) as a retreat center, for leadership development and training, and for recreation. We
are actively involving Dr. Franklin’s Ag Ed students to help with installation of self-contained solar units for
the cabins. We have actively marketed the camp to the Ag Ambassador’s group and to all department
heads in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. We have been working with our communications
staff to develop a story for Lo Que Pasa as well as UA News, describing the camp as a resource for the
entire campus community.
The camp also offers UA student, faculty, and staff a diversity of research opportunities. Over the
past year, a NAU-affiliated researcher has explored a population of sedges on the camp property and
concluded that it may be a new species. The beautiful and rich mountain environment could also host
research on ecology, forestry, wildlife, soils, geology, and more. We would make available data collected
from our green projects for UA environmental sciences, physics, optics and business students to do
research and look into the opportunities for solar in northern Arizona and in remote locations.
Our camp programming for youth already emphasizes natural resources and responsible care of
our environment. Many camp programs utilize University and Extension faculty and staff to share their up-
to-date and expert-based knowledge through lessons and activities at the James 4-H Camp. It is our
University connection that allows the James 4-H Camp to stand out ahead of other, more traditional camp
programs. Our green project focused curriculum would address the importance of science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM) for Arizona youth and provide a foundation for continued inquiry that could
help guide them to similar majors at the University of Arizona.
We agree to work closely with the Green Fund Committee Marketing Team on marketing and
communications opportunities related to this project.
Project Timeline (project start, completion dates, order tasks, and milestones and estimate how long
each task will require for completion)
Because funding is not authorized until July 1, 2013, we have divided this project into two
phases—one for summer and one for spring 2014. The camp often becomes inaccessible from
November 1-through March 30 each year depending on snow fall and rain. See timeline calendar in
Appendix A.
Phase 1—Laying the Foundation
April-June: Planning & design phase. Solar well pump installation (private donation already secured)
NCCC Work Team on site from April 1-May 15th. Preparing the sites, repairing roofs, removing old and
installing new toilets.
April 15th, 2013 - Camp opens for public use
April - Final measurements, ordering materials.
July 1, 2013 - Project start. Structure building and panel installation.
o Installation of composting toilet
o Cabin solar panels mounted, installed and system connected. LED lights installed
o Construction of gray water harvesting system on bath house
November 1 – Phase 1 Project completion
Phase 2—Completing the Task
April 2014: Solar Water Heater installation
April 15th, 2014 – Camp opens for public use
May – Prep for camp season. Generate baseline economic and sustainability report using available data
from camp records and initial data for green project monitoring. Finalize educational materials and green
project signage and install at project sites.
June – Use sustainability projects as a resource for education with 2014 campers and visitors. Involve
youth and UA students with data monitoring and analysis. Distribute marketing materials to community
advertising a ‘sustainable camp experience’ at the James 4-H Camp.
Metrics
Impacts
Through support of this project, the UA Green Fund will be able to demonstrate
significant savings in energy costs and improved environmental sustainability by gradually
eliminating fossil fuel generated energy for lights, water and heat. The James 4-H Camp can
become a model camp facility and can serve as a demonstration project for other camps
wishing to reduce their carbon footprint.
Last year, for example, we spent over $5000 in fossil fuels to support camp groups. We
want to develop signs educating camp users about the savings each year based on the
conversions we have outlined above. Through this project, we will extend the UA’s
sustainability efforts into other parts of the state, benefitting youth, and serving as a
showcase to other camp facilities that want to “walk the talk” of environmental compatibility.
In addition, we envision the following impacts:
o 800 youth introduced to solar conversion learning site at James 4-H Camp starting in
2014
o 10kW of electricity produced from installed panels. (We have long range plans to put
a large solar array atop the current tennis court and use this to power the kitchen and
other large power users at the camp. The slant design will also tie into our water
harvesting plans for toilet use. This is a long range plan still in development because
of the substantial cost.)
o Decreased noise and emissions in wilderness area
o Decreased overhead costs for camp due to maintenance, upkeep, and fuel delivery
for generators (current power source)
o Creating a more sustainable and dependable power source for the camp season
(April - October)
o Continue efforts to make a more sustainable and self-sufficient camp facility to
increase enjoyment and safety of campers
Because our main diesel generator had reached 100,000 hours of use, we were told
by UA Facilities Management that we needed to replace it. Knowing that we want to
move toward solar energy, we were hesitant to purchase a new generator if it might only
be retired in the near future. But we also do not know if our proposal to the UA Green
Fund will be approved. Thankfully, because of our affiliation with the University of
Arizona, Shane Doughty, Research Administrator, in the College of Agriculture & Life
Sciences found us a generator through Federal surplus. This unit is free to us through
this program, except for the cost of shipping. But the better news is this which came with
acquisition information: “Reusing this generator instead of buying new is like saving the
carbon equivalent of 2,582.11 gallons of gasoline used.” Reuse is recycling.
Further, by saving monies for the future by going solar, we can utilize limited monetary
resources to provide a better educational experience for 4-H young people who come to
the camp to re-connect with the outdoors and experience nature—perhaps for the first
time.
Achieving Those Impacts
We will achieve these impacts by converting over to solar energy, re-using gray water,
and installing highly-efficient LED lights. We also propose to install a remote monitoring
system to illustrate energy savings, reduced carbon use and gallons saved or re-used.
Measuring & Reporting on Impacts
As stated above, we propose to purchase a remote monitoring system to track energy
savings, water savings and re-purposed water. We have ample records from the camp’s
previous history and it will be relatively simple to develop graphs and reports indicating
energy and water saved. Measuring our propane or diesel requirements will be simple.
Water use is a little harder to calculate, but we will be able to compare staff time spent in
pumping water and storage tank capacities from this year to last year. Our plan also
envisions developing pamphlets and brochures outlining the enhancements provided by the
UA Green Fund and how they have helped make the James 4-H Camp more sustainable and
environmentally sound.