We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Conservation

Scouting C.A.R.E.S. Pack 5600 Explores Great Falls National Park

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Scouting C.A.R.E.S. Pack 5600 from E.W. Stokes Elementary School recently visited Great Falls National Park for a day of hands-on learning and outdoor exploration. The experience gave students the opportunity to connect classroom concepts with the natural world through guided activities and outdoor engagement.

During the visit, students participated in the park’s Flower Adventure Program, where they learned about native and invasive flowers found in the local environment. In addition to the educational programming, students enjoyed fishing and took part in field games, making the day both informative and fun. The trip provided a meaningful setting for students to build teamwork and confidence while developing a deeper appreciation for nature. By experiencing learning outside the classroom, students were able to see real-world applications of what they study and strengthen connections with their peers.

What Is Scouting C.A.R.E.S.?

Scouting C.A.R.E.S.—which stands for Character, Achievement, Respect, Education, and STEM—is an initiative of the National Capital Area Council designed to expand access to Scouting for all youth. The program partners with schools and community organizations across the DMV to bring hands-on, character-based Scouting experiences to communities that would benefit from a vibrant Scouting program. Through Scouting C.A.R.E.S., youth participate in programs that emphasize character development, leadership, ethics, and moral values, while fostering curiosity, resilience, and a sense of belonging. The initiative reflects the diversity of the communities it serves and works to ensure Scouting is inclusive and available to all young people, regardless of background or circumstance. Scouting C.A.R.E.S. provides in-school, afterschool, and community-based outreach programming led by positive adult role models. Youth enrolled in the program enjoy the same Scouting experiences as Scouts throughout the Council, including outdoor opportunities such as Day Camp and Resident Camp.

To learn more about our National Capital Area Council’s Scouting C.A.R.E.S. program, visit NCAC’s website: https://ncacscouting.org/scouting-cares/

               

Boo Berry Yay Fern: A project to save our native plants.

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INVASIVE SPECIES 101

Invasive species are animals or plants from another region of the world that don’t belong in their new environment. Invasive species can lead to the extinction of native plants and animals, destroy biodiversity, and permanently alter habitats.

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EXAMPLES OF INVASIVE SPECIES: MY PERSONAL FAVORITE – WINEBERRY

Wineberry is an Asian species of raspberry native to China, Japan, and Korea. The species was introduced to Europe and North America as an ornamental plant and for its potential in breeding hybrid raspberries. Now, it covers forest floors, stealing water and nutrients from native plants.

My Eagle project Boo Berry Yay Fern was called so for a reason! As a part of my Eagle and DCSA project, I enlisted volunteers and logged over 200 hours cleaning invasive Wineberry from Tattersall park in Oakton! Yay to Ferns, which are Virginia native plants, and Boo to Wineberry for hampering their growth.

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JAPANESE STILTGRASS

Japanese stiltgrass was originally brought to the US from Japan as packing material. The seeds were able to spread through this, and now it steals water and nutrients from native plants.

For those who don’t know its dangers, it looks pretty amazing. Walk through a woodland and you see all this lush green grass growing under the trees. The trouble is; that is all you will see. There is absolutely nothing else growing there but Japanese stiltgrass. It takes over everything and smothers out all the native plants that should be growing in the woodland. In fact, the unchecked growth of siltgrass has gotten too out-of-hand in some areas, forcing counties to declare this noxious weed as an “introduced” species, indicating that the problem is on too large of a scale to deal with.

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EMERALD ASH BORER

Brought from China, most likely inside various forms of packing material. Burrow into Ash trees and eat away the inner bark, causing the tree to die when the bark is gone.

These pests have been causing mass die-offs of ash and other trees all across the US. These die-offs remove the forest leaf canopy, causing more sunlight to reach the forest floor. Due to this increased sunlight, invasive plants can spread much more easily. Nonetheless, Emerald ash borers form a lethal combo with any other invasive plant species.

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JAPANENSE HONEYSUCKLE

Also brought from Japan as an ornamental houseplant, and was released into the wild. However, it can grow to incredible sizes and choke out native wildlife.

Japanese honeysuckle directly benefits from the increased light on forest floors that is caused by the emerald ash borers. While it may look good as an ornamental plant, after a point, it will start growing at unparalleled speeds, at which a single plant is able to reach sizes of up to 30 feet long!

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A COLD HARD FACT

4300: Number of unique invasive species in the USA, as estimated by the Department of Fish & Wildlife management.

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INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT 101

DETECTION
Certain apps -like that provided by the Fairfax County IMA program- can use your phone’s camera to identify invasive species. If the plant is new to the area, report it to the respective agency.

PREVENTION
Most invasive species have their seeds spread by your clothes. Always wipe yourself and brush your shoes at the designated station before leaving a park.

CORRECTION

To help stop these damaging invasive species from spreading and destroying our native plants and animals, we must remove them. When these are removed, ensure that you are removing them from their roots (some may have deep roots), to have a lasting effect!

Sign up for cleanups and conservation efforts, and if you see invasive species, get rid of them. Every little bit will help in our fight against invasive species.

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RESULT: YAY FERN!!!

Putting a stop on invasive species will help the native environment to thrive, not just native plants, but native animals and the entire ecosystem! This is an example of a section in Tattersall Park, Oakton, which now shouts out “ YAY Fern!”

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AS A SCOUT

Join cleanups & projects that are removing invasive plants and planting new native species in their place.

Spread the word! Promote understanding of native plants by educational outreach. This can be just emails, blogs (such as this one), presentations, public fairs booths, farmers market booths etc. You can certainly get creative!

For more information, you can visit the IMA site at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/invasive-management-area

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CITATIONS

Fairfax County Invasive Management area: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/invasive-management-area
US Fish and Wildlife Service: https://www.fws.gov/
Picture Credits: Google images (Licensed for usage)

Outdoor Ethics Newsletter

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The July newsletter featured an interview with Paul Schimke, NCAC scouter, LNT Master Educator, LNT State Advocate (MD)…

As we know, outdoor ethics is a critically important aspect of scouting. It is central to everything we do in BSA, how we live the outdoor code/law/oath/motto, how we use resources wisely & how we live as humans on planet Earth. Sara Holtz, Chair of the NCAC Outdoor Ethics Committee & Leave No Trace Master Educator, created an Outdoor Ethics newsletter that includes upcoming courses, best practices, interviews with members, news from our community, awards, project ideas, etc

In the June newsletter, we recognized Dan Ambrose, Brent Peate, Carol Brown, and Griffin Roblyer – new NCAC Leave No Trace Master Educators!

Complete this form if you’d like to subscribe: https://forms.gle/bWfZwwZduhFXQSvA6

You do not need to be an Leave No Trace Trainer/Master Educator, Tread Trainer, Master Tread Trainer, or in NCAC to subscribe, so please subscribe and please share this with scouters interested in outdoor ethics, Leave No Trace, Tread Lightly, the Land Ethic, environmental issues, conservation practices. There are currently subscribers from 12 councils!

Evelyn Bruno led the OE Orientation and OE Guide courses in June in Brandywine. 
In the June newsletter, we get a glimpse of the Outdoor Ethics Guide course held in Oakton – scouts are seen here straining the dishwasher.

 

Scouts and Scouters at the Oakton Outdoor Ethics Guide course demonstrate the thumb trick. 

NCAC Conservation Committee

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The NCAC Conservation Committee promotes an ethic of conservation throughout the Council, providing technical assistance and expertise regarding matters of ecology, conservation, and resources management to all units as well as NCAC property managers. The committee administers the Distinguished Conservation Service Award and provides guidance to scouts and units who want to perform conservation projects or earn conservation awards.

Conservation is an important part of Scouting’s mission. Your unit might practice conservation by working with qualified experts to remove invasive species, plant native trees, reduce runoff into streams or encourage the regeneration of species under pressure such as the monarch or other pollinators. The possibilities are endless, and most parks and woodland sanctuaries have land managers who can help you get started.

The Committee also promotes Scouting’s conservation awards such as:

  • Distinguished Conservation Service Award – The fundamental purpose of the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Awards program is to encourage learning by the participants and to increase public awareness about natural resource conservation. The goal of this awards program is to encourage and recognize truly outstanding efforts that have contributed significantly to natural resource conservation and environmental protection. https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/conservation-and-environment/conservation-awards-and-recognitions/bsa-distinguished-conservation-service-award/
  • World Conservation Award, an opportunity for individual Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturers, and Sea Scouts to think globally and act locally to preserve and improve our environment. This program is designed to help youth members gain awareness that all nations are closely related through natural resources and that we are interdependent with our world environment. https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/world-conservation/
  • Conservation Good Turn Award, which is an opportunity for Cub Scout packs, Scouts BSA troops, Venturing crews, and Sea Scout ships to join with conservation or environmental organizations (federal, state, local, or private) to carry out a Conservation Good Turn in their home communities. https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/conservation-and-environment/conservation-good-turn/
  • Conservation rocker patch for the National Medal for Outdoor Achievement, which is awarded for service to the environment. A gold device may be earned for each additional 25 hours of conservation work. A silver device is earned for each additional 100 hours of conservation work (for example, the first silver device is earned at 125 total hours of conservation work). https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/national-medal-outdoor/
  • Keep America Beautiful Hometown USA Award – a joint program between Keep America Beautiful Inc. and the Boy Scouts of America. It is designed to give recognition to the outstanding efforts of Scouts in their communities in regard to citizenship and environmental improvement. https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/keep-america-beautiful-hometown-usa-award/
  • Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award – Awarded for completing a certain number of outdoor activities while at Cub Scout camp or day camp. Activities include a nature/conservation project in a Cub’s area. https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/cs-outdoor/
  • National Park Service Scout Ranger Program – The Scout Ranger program invites Scouts of all ages to participate in educational and/or volunteer service projects at national park sites to spark their awareness of the national parks and to provide Scouts with the opportunity to explore the national parks and learn more about protecting our natural and cultural resources. Scouts are awarded a certificate and/or patch. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/youthprograms/scout-ranger.htm
  • Messengers of Peace – A global initiative designed to inspire millions of young men and women in more than 220 countries and territories to work toward peace. Any Scout or Scouter who participates in a project that has had a significant impact on the community in any one of the three dimensions (#3 is ‘relationships between humankind and its environment’) can qualify as a Messenger of Peace. https://www.scouting.org/international/messengers-of-peace/

More details are here: https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/conservation-and-environment/conservation-awards-and-recognitions/

Scouters wishing to promote conservation in their District or Unit should contact Committee Chair Will Rodger at wrodger@outlook.com or their district’s conservation point of contact.

Troop 840G Lives the Outdoor Code in Conservation Project Success

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The Founder of Scouting, Lord Baden-Powell said: “God has given us a world to live in that is full of beauties and wonders… if only we have the sense to look at them in that light.” The Scouts BSA Outdoor Code tells Scouts “To be Conservation Minded.”

Setting a great example of caretaking the gifts of nature and putting the Scouts BSA Outdoor Code into action, Scouts BSA Troop 840 Girls (Troop 840G) conducted their first Conservation Project on October 3, 2020. The Scouts harvested, cleaned, stored, planted, and marked more than 80 Pawpaw and 30 Persimmon seeds.

Troop 840G Scouts, Cristlin F., Sophia W. and Sydney G., led by Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) Paige W. and Patrol Leader (PL) Mckayla W. worked closely with Izaak Walton League’s Alexandria/Stafford Conservation Committee Chair, Guy Cox, to successfully complete this conservation project at the Izaak Walton League property in Stafford County.

This project was important because, although the Pawpaw and Persimmon are fruit trees native to Virginia, they cannot thrive on their own. Pawpaw trees require pollination from an unrelated tree to bear fruit. Persimmon trees generally need a male tree to pollinate a female tree to produce fruit. These factors, combined with the large seeds that are not eaten and spread by animals, hinder fruit bearing Pawpaw and Persimmon groves.

While Scouts BSA activities are always meant to be “Fun with a Purpose”, true success for our Scouts started with prior proper planning and preparation by the SPL and Adult Troop Leaders. Troop 840G Scouts planned and prepared to ensure safety was taken into consideration for all aspects of the project (K.I.S.M.I.F. = Keep it Safe, Make it Fun!) and that all Scouts would be properly trained in the skills and tools needed to succeed.

Fitting the project in with other Scout Skills Campout activities that same weekend made for a tight schedule, but the Troop’s SPL and PL prioritized and adjusted plans to make it work. Scouts worked in teams (Buddy System) to locate good planting areas and properly plant the seeds. Specific knowledge about ensuring optimum conditions (e.g., soil, lighting, dampness, proper seed handling, etc.) were provided by Guy Cox and Troop 840G Adult Leaders provided safety oversight and mentorship. Areas were marked with Purple PVC stakes so Scouts can check on their plantings next year.

While this was Troop 840 Girls first Conservation Project, the Scouts have conducted several community focused Service Projects. These included projects for our Nation’s Veterans in conjunction with Vets on Track, which furnishes/decorates homes with essentials and comfort items for homeless Veterans “Making Houses into Homes” and Black Horse Forge which provides free metal forging classes and forging facilities for Veterans; Black Horse Forge is planning to expand into woodworking too and also has horses, donkeys and chickens for visiting Vets to caretake. Additionally, Troop 840G Scouts have participated in the National Night Out opening ceremony and Scouting for Food.

An Impressive Bat House Conservation Project

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As a part of their work to earn the Mammal Study merit badge, Scouts from GT582 came out to Michael’s Woodshop at Camp William B. Snyder to build two Johnson Bat Houses. The Troop was very well prepared and arrived with all of the materials and supplies needed to construct, paint and install the bat houses. With guidance from a volunteer Shop Steward, the Scouts were able to learn and apply many useful woodworking skills; measuring & marking, drilling, gluing and clamping. They were focused, demonstrated great teamwork and were able to complete, paint and install a set of great looking bat houses in approximately 6 hours. Not only did they complete a requirement for their merit badge, they had a great time working in the shop and made a very impressive addition to Camp Snyder. It was a day very well spent!

Camp Snyder is the perfect venue for conservation projects and other service projects. It is conveniently located and many conservation projects are readily available. Camp Snyder is resuming its monthly Volunteer Service Day schedule and other work dates can be arranged upon request. If you would like to learn more about available conservation and other service projects at Camp Snyder, upcoming Volunteer Service Days or to arrange for your own group project, please email us at CWBS.Volunteers@gmail.com.

Whether you are working on a service project, advancement activities or simply want to learn some new skills, Michael’s Woodshop is a great place for building memorable experiences. Michael’s Woodshop is a well-outfitted shop with the tools, equipment and work space for Scouts to create and learn. The shop may be reserved for Unit events (all age groups), Eagle Scout projects and many other Scouting activities. Our volunteer Shop Stewards are all experienced woodworkers and are available to assist you in planning and carrying out a successful event.

For information about shop capabilities, upcoming events or reserving the shop, please visit the Michael’s Woodshop page on the Camp Snyder website or email questions and requests to MichaelsWoodshop.CWBS@gmail.com.