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Opportunities for Boy Scouts
Merit Badges and More
BLM works with Boy Scouts on a variety of programs and projects, including Leave No Trace outdoor ethics, merit badges, Eagle Scout projects, and national Jamborees, which are held every four years. The Conservation Committee of the Boy Scouts of America serves as the leadership for agency participation in national Jamborees. Since 1981, these national Jamborees have afforded Conservation Committee member organizations, including BLM, an opportunity to showcase agency exhibits and educational activities to hundreds of thousands of Scouts and their leaders.
BLM staff also serve as Merit Badge Counselors and subject-matter experts in a variety of subject areas, such as archaeology, geology, and biology, at Jamboralls, Camporees, Scout Fairs, and similar functions, and also upon request. In limited cases, BLM specialists may serve as Boy Scout Summer Camp staff. Participation in summer camp functions provides an opportunity for BLM staff to deliver conservation education messages to Scout leaders and youth.
The public lands and their resources also provide an ideal environment for Eagle Scout projects. The many such projects that have been completed on public lands have had lasting positive effects. Eagle Scout projects may be arranged at the local BLM level; BLM Headquarters issues certificates to Eagle Scouts who have earned their Eagle rank by planning, leading, and completing conservation service projects on BLM public lands.
BLM staff members have served as leaders in the implementation of the Leave No Trace outdoor ethics program, which was developed by the National Outdoor Leadership School. Leave No Trace has been endorsed by both the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., and is the premier outdoor ethics training program being taught by Federal agency personnel. LNT is taught by trained BLM staff and a cadre of volunteer instructors to those who request the training and also at National Boy Scout Jamborees. The Boy Scouts offer a Leave No Trace Awareness Award, which incorporates the Camping and Environmental Science merit badges and Leave No Trace-related service projects.
Boy Scouts are frequent contributors to BLM volunteer work events, including National Public Lands Day.
Jump to Another Opportunity
BLM RESOURCES ON SCOUTING
"Walk on the Wild Side"
BLM at the 2001 National Scout Jamboree -
http://www.blm.gov/education/00_jamboree/index.html
"Scouts Build a Footbridge at BLM-New Mexico's Fort Stanton"
Feature about a New Mexico Boy Scout troop whose members "adopted" a BLM trail
http://www.blm.gov/volunteer/feature/1998/nm/
"Boy Scouts and Dads Volunteer Their Time at Wildwood Recreation Site"
Description of work projects conducted to improve this BLM-Oregon site
http://www.or.blm.gov/salem/html/rec/cascades_activities/archives/scouts_dads_vol.htm
"Loon Lake: Looking for Friends"
Description of improvements performed by Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Eagle Scouts at this BLM-Oregon site
http://www.or.blm.gov:80/coosbay/newsreleases/fy2000/04-loonfriends.htm
Boy Scouts work with BLM-Utah on 2001 National Public Lands Day projects
http://www.ut.blm.gov:80/Npld/npld.html
Description of a construction project at BLM-Utah's Fantasy Canyon, to which Eagle Scouts contributed
http://www.nv.blm.gov:80/Resources/noxious_weeds.htm
Partners Against Weeds
How volunteers, including Scouts, can help stop the spread of invasive plants
http://www.nv.blm.gov:80/Resources/noxious_weeds.htm
Boy Scouts and Leave No Trace
http://www.lnt.org/TeachingLNT/boyscouts.html.
Boy Scout Leave No Trace Awareness Award requirements
http://www.or.blm.gov:80/EE/LNT/boyscout.htm
http://www.lnt.org/TeachingLNT/boyscouts.html
Award application
http://www.usscouts.org/lntform.html
Boy Scouts of America National Council
http://www.bsa.scouting.org
National Outdoor Leadership School
http://www.nols.edu/NOLSHome.html