“Preserving nature and protecting wildlife has been central to Scouting’s mission since its founding.”
– Will Rodger, Chair of the NCAC Conservation Committee
Like something from Narnia or Middle-earth, the stone arch on the edge of the forest invites you to enter a magical place. Follow the grassy trail beyond the arch, and you’ll find that the animals, birds, trees, fish, reeds, and water do speak to us: They tell us about the health of the land, and the cleanliness of the water, and the amount of food available in their habitats, and about the air and the climate.
This is a rare and special place. As Scouts in the National Capital Area Council, it is ours to care for. This is the Hylton Ecological Preserve at Camp Snyder. It is 125 acres of forest, open water, streams and ponds that come and go, fields where trees are beginning to take over, and a wide variety of wildlife and plant life. Its technical name is the North Fork Wetlands Bank, and it was built by people on what was a farm field so there would be a safe place for plants and animals to live and for water to be collected and stored.
On June 5, 2021, Scouts of all ages, leaders, parents, siblings, and friends are invited to Scouting on Foot: Camp Snyder’s Wetlands. Talk to naturalists about invasive species and protecting native plants and animals. Learn about the birds that live there and how water is filtered by the plants and soil. Find out what Nature is telling us, and how you can help.
To register for Scouting on Foot: Camp Snyder’s Wetlands, go to https://scoutingevent.com/082-47545.
