Boy Scouts of America continued...

From the very first edition, published in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America handbook has emphasized woodcraft. As part of their development, Boy Scouts learn about nature, develop outdoor skills and gain an appreciation for our natural resources. The program uses hiking, camping and canoeing among its many character-building activities.

Of the 121 different merit badges that Boy Scouts can earn, many have strong conservation connections. These include Environmental Science, Fish and Wildlife Management, Forestry, Soil and Water Conservation, Insect Study, Bird Study and Reptile and Amphibian Study, as well as Hiking, Camping, Shotgun Shooting and Fishing.

Scouts and the Conservation Department

The Department of Conservation’s The Next Generation of Conservation strategic plan has a goal of supporting community conservation efforts and organizations such as the Boy Scouts.

An important aspect of the Scouting program is giving something back to the local community in the form of community service hours. These service projects often involve conservation.

For example, 78 Boy Scouts of America groups have enrolled as Missouri Stream Teams. Their activities include stream litter pick-ups, water quality monitoring and streamside tree planting.

Scouts or Scout troops are involved in many other conservation projects, including tree planting, fish and wildlife habitat improvement, bird house or bird feeder construction and placement, prairie restoration projects and nature trail construction and maintenance.

Eagle Scouts for Conservation

All Scouts are required to complete community service hours to advance in rank, but a special community service project is required of a Boy Scout to earn the coveted Eagle Scout rank.

<< Page 1 | 2| 3 | 4 >>

Community Conservation

About This Article

Author

author HAROLD KERNS is an Eagle Scout (1971) and a fisheries regional supervisor in Northwest Missouri. He has worked for the Department for more than 25 years. He is an assistant Scoutmaster with troop 60 in Savannah, where he resides with his wife, Laura, and two sons, Zach and Austin. Zach earned the eagle Scout rank in 2006, and Austin is nearing completion.

Gallery

gallery
Click to view gallery.