“THE CONSERVATION PROJECT” TALKING THE TALK & WALKING THE WALK Shawn Spencer, Cubmaster Queens Council Conservation Comm. Chair

SESSION OBJECTIVES 1 - Better understanding of incorporating Conservation Projects into all levels of Scouting. 2 – Review resources to help develop worthwhile Conservation efforts in your home units, districts and councils. 3 – Learn how scout units can develop ongoing relationships with local land management agencies. 4 – Use planning skills to finalize a Conservation Project that you will be doing later in this course.

“IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN … YOU THEN PLAN TO FAIL Planning is of the utmost importance to ‘starting and implementing’ any project and making the initiative sustainable

THE 9 TH POINT; “SCOUT IS THRIFTY” A scout works to pay his/ her own way and to help others. He/She saves for the future. He/ She protects and conserves natural resources. He/ She carefully uses time and property.

Do a “Good Turn” daily How about a Conservation Good Turn? -- By helping our environment we help everyone. An easy one to earn – 1 – The unit contacts a local agency and offers to carry out a project. 2 – The agency ID’s a project that can be done. 3 – Working together the unit and agency plan and carry out the project. Following the projects completion the unit completes the application and forwards it to Council. This patch can then be awarded to all appropriate participants.

THE OUTDOOR CODE AS AN AMERICAN… … I will do my best to.. Be clean in my outdoor manners, Be careful with fire, Be Considerate in the outdoors and… Be conservation minded. Elaborate and hand out

Principles of “Leave No Trace” Plan Ahead Camp and travel on durable surfaces Concentrate or spread? Pack it in and pack it out. Sanitation Leave what you find. Minimize site alteration Minimize campfire use. Respect wildlife and respect others.

Scouts in the Environment Many scouts want to help out; all of them need to for rank advancements, and there are many things to do. Agencies… especially in hard times are always in need of willing help, and are more than willing to put the boys to work.

Remember the “OUTING” in SCOUTING; if we don’t help care for and restore what we use it won’t be there later!

PROJECTS Conservation Projects can come in all shapes, sizes and levels of complexity. What do you think would make a good project. Brainstorm

What makes a good project?, The Bullet Plan 1 – Involves the scouts at all levels of the project. 2 – Must be FUN. 3 – Make the first one reasonable. 4 – Consider the Skill level of your group. 5 – Set reasonable first goals (and for all projects) 6 – Is it Sustainable and does it make a difference?

SAFETY IS CRITICAL!!!! Think before acting “Guide to Safe Scouting” Work plan Phone numbers / Radios Pre- site visit Agency Contacts Know where / how local emergency services can be contacted and how fast they can arrive.

DOCUMENTATION COMPLETED WORK PLAN W/ COMMENTS PHOTOGRAPHS ANY AWARD APPLICATIONS THANK-YOU’S AS APPROPRIATE

RECOGNITION MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE RECIPIENTS ARE RECOGNIZED AND THAT ALL APPLICABLE AWARDS ARE ISSUED ASAP.

THE PROJECT PLANNING CHECKLIST YOU HAVE ONE IN YOUR PACKAGE THAT YOU CAN USE; OR YOU CAN MAKE UP YOUR OWN. But always remember……

THIS CHECKLIST YOU MUST HAVE A PLAN; INCLUDING - Leadership (who is responsible for what) Detailed Work Plan (who, what when, where, why, how, how long, etc. etc.) Defined Goals (What are we doing today & next week etc.) Equipment List (what do have, what do we need and where do we get it.) Materials list (as above) Hours (start and stop times, # days, rain dates, how much to complete by when, etc.) Safety (first aid kits, phones / radios, emergency plans etc) Detailed construction drawings (as appropriate) Forms and Authorizations (as needed) Project Scope and Benefits (as agreed upon with the agency ahead of time) One day project (or more )? Any costs and how they are to be covered. What is the projects permanence or Sustainability?

A FEW RESOURCES New York City Parks Dept. (Rangers, Volunteers, NRG, etc.) New York City – Dept. Environmental Protection / Lefrak plaza in Corona Queens. New York State – Dept. Environmental Conservation – general; fish and wildlife; urban forestry New York State Parks – U.S. E.P.A. local – U.S. Dept. Interior – Gateway Nat. Rec. Area ; ; Colleges with natural resource programs including Columbia, Rutgers, Marist and Hofstra. Council Conservation Committee.

REFERENCES Scout books – filed guide, merit badge books, etc Natural resource books Magazines / Articles Agency publications Many, many, many more.

THANK YOU AND HAVE FUN His Future Is In Our Hands Even the smallest can measure up