We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

The Scouter Digest Staff

Scouter Carol Brown awarded the Hornaday Gold Badge

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Conservationist, naturalist, outdoorswoman, and amazing scouter Carol Brown of the Old Dominion District was recently awarded the Hornaday Gold Badge. The BSA Hornaday Gold Badge is awarded by the local council to an adult Scouter or Venturing leader who has demonstrated leadership and a commitment to the education of youth on a council or district level for significant conservation efforts for a period of at least three years. Fewer than 60 scouters nationwide received this award in 2019 so it is a truly exceptional, coveted award. Ms. Brown is a tireless scouter, advisor, advocate, and counselor for scouts. Not only does she bring deep expertise and experience, but she also brings enthusiasm, energy, passion, and love of the outdoors to every task.

 

Below are excepts from her nomination letter:

Influence on youth and educational programs emphasizing sound stewardship of our nation’s natural resources for at least three years:
Ms. Brown has been counseling scouts in conservation-related merit badges such as Soil and Water Conservation, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Bird Study, Fish and Wildlife, Nature, Forestry, Insect Study, Mammal Study, and Reptile/Amphibian Study since 2009. She also teaches Environmental Issues and Plant and Animal Identification Skills and the Nature and Conservation section of the Old Dominion District’s Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills course. Part of the curriculum is introducing leaders to the conservation opportunities and awards available to scouts. She has been a member of the NCAC Conservation Committee since 2017 and the NCAC Outdoor Ethics Committee since 2018, attended the National William T. Hornaday Adviser training in 2018, became a Leave No Trace Trainer in 2018, and completed the TreadLightly Trainer course in 2019. Ms. Brown has co-taught the Hornaday Award course at the NCAC University of Scouting since 2018. Recently for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day (April 2020), she co-taught a lunch session about Hornaday Unit awards on Facebook live that has more than 1000 views. She advised one unit to earn the Hornaday Unit award, is currently advising two Hornaday Badge projects, and both of her sons earned Hornaday Badges. Regardless of the scouting activity Ms. Brown is leading, she teaches scouts and scouters to incorporate principles of the Outdoor Code into all aspects of scouting and into their lives.

Environmental improvement during a period of at least three years:
Ms. Brown worked with US Fish and Wildlife Service in Hawaii in wetlands conservation. She has participated in the Audubon Bird Census since 2005 and volunteered for the US Fish and Wildlife Service Volunteer since 2010. She conducts biological research including avian migration studies and census data. For Scouts BSA, Ms. Brown is an OA Vigil member and worked with the Old Dominion Chapter of the Order of the Arrow to serve as the conservation advisor on two Ordeals that focused on invasive plant species removal: Hemlock Regional Overlook Park (2018) and Camp Fraser (2019). She was the conservation adviser for an Eagle project in erosion control work at Hidden Pond in Fairfax County and has also advised three additional Eagle projects in the survey area of her son’s Hornaday project.

Please join me in congratulating Ms. Brown for this prestigious conservation award!!!!!!

A Safe Hill

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As someone who has always had a soft spot for community service and a passion for engineering, I felt that my Eagle Project was a perfect opportunity for me to make a meaningful impact in my community while also developing personal skills and knowledge. For my project, I built a new path alongside a hill in my community, but it involves the risk of skidding and falling down the hill into shrubs while walking tangent to such a steep slope. My goal was to fix this issue and create a more convenient and safer path for everyone.

After I had submitted my proposal and done all the necessary planning, when I was about to begin my project, the COVID-19 pandemic began. For months, BSA had also shut down, and I had little to no communication with anyone who knew what I should do. Because of COVID-19, my project was already on a limited schedule. Moreover, the pandemic forced many lumber mills to shut down, thus creating a shortage in the availability of wood and rental trucks in all local stores such as Home Depot and Lowes.

Ultimately, I had to drive half an hour to Aspen Hill to rent out a truck and drive that truck for an hour to Chantilly, Virginia – the nearest place where I found a store that had the wood I needed in stock. The wood was being sold out so quickly that I became worried if it would still be in stock when I reached the store after the long commute. Furthermore, it was also tough to find wood chips. Local retailers either sold them in small bags or in mass quantities, which were too much for what I needed. Other companies didn’t offer shipping, and even those that did only would deliver in dump trucks instead of prepackaged bags, as I preferred.

But once I had received the wood chips, the project was back on track. Although we still had to be careful while doing this project due to COVID-19 and the summer heat. Since the nearest parking lot from the worksite was atop a steep hill, it was too strenuous and dangerous to transport all the wood chips from the place where the wood chips were dumped down the hill to the worksite. On top of this, there was a 107-degree heat index reading, which put everyone at risk for heat strokes and dehydration. Frequent breaks were necessary as everyone was exhausted and out of breath since breathing was limited through masks, and shade was scarce. This limited the amount of work that could be accomplished per day, and the project was ultimately extended into a third day. Lastly, the inherent risk of COVID-19 was another major issue related to the project, and several precautions were put in place to mitigate this.

Apart from these major issues, I also had some technical issues regarding the project. I had to make sure that the rebars and spikes I hammer into the ground don’t hit the utility lines directly underneath. Hammering in rebars was also incredibly difficult. Due to the rocky soil, the rebars would sometimes hit a stone a foot underground and not go down any further. This made it very hard, and time-consuming to get rebars into the ground and ultimately led to last-minute shopping runs to buy smaller sized rebars and spikes, costing us more time. Despite all of that, we finished the project. The primary process of the project started with clearing out shrubs. Then we dug out part of the hill to make stairs, leveled the area at the foot of the hill to create a path, and edged the path and stairs with woodblocks. Finally, we laid weed blocking fabric, connecting the stairs to the path, nailed down the wood with spikes (while making sure the spikes don’t hit any utility lines), and finally covered the path in wood chips.

My favorite part of this project is that it is related to my passion for engineering. I learned so much about leading a team under pressure and gaining experience designing and executing engineering plans. It was also humbling to see so many volunteers willing to donate tools or come and help out. Companies like Ace Hardware, which donated tools for my project, Mainscapes, donated, and delivered all the woodchips I needed. Many of my friends who volunteered in the project (some of whom were not even Boy Scouts themselves) were essential to my project’s success. Moreover, one of the workdays was during my 18th birthday, and it was very satisfying to spend the day that marked my adulthood, giving back to my community that made me who I am. This project taught me a lot about planning, delegating duties to people based on their strengths, learning to accept the unexpected, and understanding that you can’t be prepared for everything; impulse decisions under pressure will always be needed. I also learned to think and work like an engineer, worry about how the structure will hold up in various weather conditions, react to wear and tear, and understand the importance of adhering to all safety regulations for any construction.

Weekly Pow Wow Webinars Week 3

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Join us for week three of NCAC’s Pow Wow Webinar series on Monday, December 7 at 7:30 pm. The topic for this session is Rechartering Made Simple

Want to know why Charter Renewal is important to your Cubs and Leaders? Join us to discuss common mistakes and how to avoid them, and tips to make the Renewal process easy.

Link to register for the event: https://ncacbsa-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwtc-2rpz4qH9KhyTMcFbxZ7OEyCfXyreUX

NCAC Cub Scout Leader Pow Wow is a supplemental, action-packed training event for adult Cub Scout Leaders and all other adults interested in learning more about the Boy Scouts’ Cub Scout program. In the Pow Wow Webinars you will learn new ideas and concepts that will enhance your ability to deliver and support a fun-filled, exciting program to Cub Scouts.

Webinars will include relevant topics for every Cub Scout position and are designed to help you make their Cub Scout programs more fun for the Cub Scouts … and for the leaders too!!!

Eagle Project Helps Local Plant Nursery

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For my Eagle project, I built a work table and three planting beds for a local nursery called Earth Sangha. The Wild Plant Nursery is a resource for ecological restoration in the greater Washington, DC area. I chose this project because taking care of the environment is important to me. I had volunteered here before and wanted to help them out.

For the first part of my project, I built a work table. I got help from Michael’s Woodshop and Mr. Dave Schneeman to finalize blueprints. Scouts from Troops 1533G & 1533B came out to Camp Snyder and Michael’s Woodshop to help build it. The Wood Shop has a lot of tools, and Mr. Schneeman’s guidance was very helpful. The building because we had plenty of volunteers (18) and my blueprints worked great.

On our second weekend, we went to Earth Sangha. First, we cleared out the old work table and installed the new one. We removed the old planting beds and installed new ones. There were many volunteers (29), so our seven-hour workday became a five hour day, and we were able to install an extra planting bed.

My project taught me a lot about leadership. I used some of the skills I learned as my troop’s instructor and Troop Guide. I also had to learn how to recruit people and how to keep everyone busy. Now that my project is done, I am glad it went so well… it was also a lot of fun.

 

Big and Little Schloss Mountains

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Troop 58 went “Big” and actually “Little” by taking on a 3 day 2 night 18-mile backpacking trip in the George Washington National Forest and summiting Big and Little Schloss Mountains. The adventure started with a 2-mile night trek by headlight to a beautiful high meadow campsite just short of Little Schloss Mt.

The scouts were up early to watch the amazing fall sunrise over the Shenandoah Valley from the summit. The next day they backpacked to a beautiful campsite along Little Passage Creek with a big campfire, fun and much earned rest.

On the final morning, they summited Big Schloss and enjoyed lunch with 360-degree views on Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. For most of the scouts, this was their first time backpacking but surely not their last! Additionally, The trip also served as a training opportunity for a crew of scouts preparing for Philmont planned for next summer. The scouts provided a lot of great feedback via roses, buds and thorns and the troop is already thinking about backpacking adventures in 2021!

Aquia Troop 317 Scouts Work to Conserve a Part of the Appalachian Trail with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC)

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Aristotle said that “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” How often do we validate this observation in our everyday Scouting activities? This summer, Troop 317 from Stafford, Virginia partnered with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) while working on the National Outdoor Achievement Award – Conservation. It was an ideal collaboration, like peanut butter and chocolate. As the Founder of Scouting, Lord Baden-Powell liked to say: “Cooperation is the only way if we mean to win success.”

According to their website, “The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) is a 100% Volunteer-Supported 501c3 non-profit formed in 1927 for the purpose of building and maintaining the Appalachian Trail (AT), a 2190-mile footpath from Maine to Georgia, the longest hiking-only trail in the world. We were the 1st club of the now 31 clubs who preserve the AT & its side-trails from Maine to Georgia. We are the Trail Guardians for over 1000 miles of trails in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia & Virginia, including 240 miles of AT. Our territory begins in Central Pennsylvania at Pine Grove Furnace, continues thru Maryland & West Virginia to Harpers Ferry and extends into the mid-point of Virginia, including the Shenandoah National Park. In addition, we maintain other regional trails, for a total of over 1,000 miles of trails, thousands of acres of land and more than 80 shelters and cabins.”

The Scouts were excited to work alongside PATC volunteers and the National Park Service. Additionally, the Scouts wanted to, “Demonstrate the safe use of five of the following conservation tools: pick or pickax; shovel or spade; ax; bow saw; crosscut saw; pry bar; sledgehammer; loppers or shears; fire rake or McLeod; and/or Pulaski. Discuss the ethical use of the tools you chose.” Their secondary goal was to begin accumulating some of the required 25 hours of conservation service. As Baden-Powell said: “Service is not for spare time only. Service should be an attitude of life which will find outlets for its practical expression at all times.”

Upon arrival at Dundo Group Campground in Shenandoah National Park, they were met by National Park Service Ranger Rebecca Unruh and Intern Mary Kay(“MK”) Thornburg, who gave a presentation on the Park and its origins, the Appalachian Trail, trail maintenance safety procedures, COVID-19 precautions and concluded with a demonstration of various trail maintenance hand tools and their uses.

On Saturday morning, they were met by Dave Bowen, AT District Manager for the South Shenandoah National Park District along with Park Service Interns MK Thornburg and Allyson Butler. There was an ideal 2 mile stretch of the AT for them to work on. The section had been without a maintainer this year and was in dire need of weeding, vegetation clipping (especially mountain laurel), water bar cleaning and refurbishing and also had a number of hazardous “blow-downs” (trees that had fallen across the trail).

Safety first! Once equipped with masks, tools, hardhats, safety glasses and leather gloves from the Park staff, the Scouts and their leaders started out. As Aquia Scouter Dick Haas (aka: The Ancient One) likes to say: “KISMIF!” which means “Keep It Safe, Make it Fun!” This is the key to successful Scout programs.

The work was divided into weeding teams, clipping teams, and water bar teams. Halfway through the work, the teams switched tools so they could experience using at least 5 different hand tools. The water bar team spent time cleaning existing water bars and digging out new water bars in a stretch of the trail that had water running down it the previous Monday, while the Park Service staff and Scout leaders directed the weeding and clipping teams.

When the teams met up, they all headed back down to Ivy Creek to attack the four blowdowns just beyond the Creek. These required tools carried by the Troop leaders; large carona saws, rockbars, and wedges. The blowdowns were dangerous, resulting from rotted trees that had fallen over the trail from uphill, and one was dug into the trail. With some judicious sawing, the Troop leaders were able to clear two of the blowdowns while the Scouts watched, then worked on the third blowdown so that each of the Scouts could take a turn at sawing with the Carona saw. With that completed, all adjourned to the Creek for lunch. Only one Scout fell into the Creek!

After lunch, the Troop decided to push on in an attempt to get two days’ worth of work done in one. With one group pushing the 1.5 miles beyond the Creek to the Ivy Creek Overlook parking area while doing a lot of uphill weeding and clipping, a second group headed back to the starting point, completing any missed clipping and weeding on the way back. A third group stayed to finish work on the 4th blowdown. The groups linked up shortly thereafter and everyone returned to the Ivy Creek Overlook parking area for a debrief, group pictures, and awards. All in all, over 85 hours of work was performed in about five hours, the Scouts all got to experience the use of multiple tools, some of which they had never seen before, and a 2-mile section of the AT is now in pristine shape.

All agreed it was hard work, but time very well spent! The Scouts remarked that they appreciated the thanks received from several hikers they encountered during the day. One of those hikers was so inspired by the work, he has not only become a PATC member, he took on the responsibility of becoming the Trail Overseer for that section of the AT. So, beyond getting the two miles of trail back into great shape, there is now a designated caretaker to ensure it doesn’t become overgrown and neglected in the future. One couple even stopped the Troop in the parking lot to express their appreciation for the trail maintenance work we were doing. Those interactions with adults and others who see value in what they are doing give the Scouts so much pride and satisfaction knowing their good turns are valued by others.