The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are providing free First-Time Camper weekends this summer.

Due to the high demand of the state’s pilot first-time camper program in 2017, this year’s program is being expanded to seven weekends and includes a new, online lottery system selection process. The application sign-up period for the new lottery system runs from May 10 to May 13. Participants will be randomly selected to fill first-time camper slots.

Families that have never camped before will have the opportunity to see if they enjoy it before investing in their own gear by registering for a fully stocked campsite at select state campgrounds one weekend from July 13 through Aug.17.

New campers will be provided with a family tent, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, camp chairs, a lantern, and firewood. A Camping Ambassador will meet families at the campsite and help them get camp set up with a camping lesson.

Bathrooms and hot showers are a short walk from the campsites. Campers will have an opportunity to learn from experts how to fish, hike, birdwatch, and paddle.

Author Richard Louv’s book “Last Child in the Woods” shone a light on America’s growing disconnect with nature, coining it “Nature Deficit Disorder.” Initiatives such as the First-Time Camper program give families a unique opportunity to explore and appreciate the natural world around them.

For more information, including how-to videos for campers, visit the DEC’s website at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/109909.html.