Building a Nature Center
Making Sustainability a Center Piece of your Council
Challenges of Sustainability at Council Camps in 2022
*financial… council have little or no $$ to throw at sustainability efforts
*personnel…
*communication
*interia…
History of Camp Manatoc
~650 acre scouting camp located in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park
*sandwiched between two large urban areas (Cleveland & Akron)
*100 years old in 2023… long history of scouting, traditions, culture
*Long history of benign neglect of sustainability issues
Sustainability challenges
*lack of forestry management
*invasive species
*inconsistency in summer camp outdoor education programs
*no permanent nature/outdoor ed center in camp
*lack of year-round outdoor education program
*no sustainability leadership
*lack of connection to Council leadership (Board of Directors, Executive Committee)
Two pronged approach
Initiate a Sustainability Group
Initiate Development of a Permanent Nature Center
Establishing a Sustainability Group
1. BUILD A POSSE
*You need fellow scouts and scouters to push the initiative
Where can I get in touch with scouters?
Scouters at summer camp…
The Nature Staff at summer camp
*Talk up a Sustainability Group
*Build an email/cell phone database
Roundtables
University of Scouting
Woodbadge Tickets
2. Find Your Council Outdoor Ethics Advocate
3. Choose 5 or 6 dedicated and reliable volunteers who are advocates of sustainability
*Do they have a “sustainability” point of view?
*Will they be in it for the long haul?
*Do they have good rapport in scouting and the community?
*Do they have a good work ethic?
4. Develop a Format �For Your Group
*Bylaws and documents?
*Meeting places, dates and times?
*Meeting format?
*Objectives (Council specific?)
*Officers?
5. Establish Communication With Council Professionals
*Discuss your plans with them
*Keep them in the loop
*Communicate with Board members
6. Build a Communication Database and Plan
*email/contact database?
*social media presence?
*Newsletter?
7. Plan the first meeting
*Set the stage… be organized!
*Provide some “bling!”
*Have an agenda & stick to it
*Keep the meeting 1hour, no more
8. Move Forward Strategically!
USE COUNCIL GUIDELINES:
Available online at https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Council-Conservation-Committee-Guidebook-2019.pdf
Great Trail Council Sustainability, Conservation, and Trail Committee
The SCAT Committee!
Earn the “SCAT Patch”
Some SCAT Activities…
*Monthly Service Day…
*Periodic Training on Trail Construction
*Interaction/collaboration with well-established conservation groups (The Nature Conservancy)
*Interaction with those conducting forestry and/or conservation management plans for Council
*Monthly newsletter
*Routine and regular contact with Council professionals
*Grant writing (local industry, state, Federal)
*Sponsoring a BioBlitz in summer of 2023
*Planning a significant footprint at Red Oak Nature Center area for 100th Anniversary
Developing a Permanent Nature Center
The challenge…
Summer camp had no permanent Nature Center
-> used a cabin at the camp that was empty during summer
*lots of staff labor to empty (and refill) cabin
*very limited electric
*poor lighting
*no access during winter camping season
Difficult to develop consistent programs
No “off-summer-season” programming
No good storage of nature equipment
… but the camp had this old (former) horse barn…
… so, our newly emerging SCAT Committee approached Director of Camping…�… asked and received permission to take over the building with the intent of creating a Nature Center
No funding available… � so we asked…��
… and received over $4000 in donations from friends, scouters, relatives…
Making Progress!
Red Oak Nature Center
Dedication
June 18, 2022
*establish relationships with professional scouters in Council
*don’t be afraid to ask
*gather some supporters who also are willing to do some work
*fund raise
*communicate the process to both volunteers and professional scouters
*Never miss an opportunity to educate about sustainability and its close relationship to the Scout Law
This presentation is the property of Great Trail Council Sustainability, Conservation, and Trail SCAT Committee.��Permission is granted to use this presentation for educational purposes. Please credit the SCAT Committee.