Troop 8 feels great about protecting public lands

When Scouting America's (formerly Boy Scouts of America) Troop 8 asked the BLM for an opportunity to help out on public lands and earn their next merit badge, BLM Canyon Country District Archaeologist Chris Shaw was ready. But what topic to choose…

On their way to 21 merit badges and the possibility of attaining Eagle Scout status, scouts decide between seven elective options, including archaeology — which is a topic Shaw is all too happy to cover with an audience of engaged and enthusiastic learners. Moab has much to offer in terms of archeology, so the choice came easy for the scouts.

During the week-long summer camp, scouts ranging from 11 to 15 years old, focused on completing two merit badges — archaeology and geology. Over the course of the week, scouts also worked on rank requirements.

The archaeology project was pretty straight forward; the scouts would transport 14, 12-foot logs through the desert, a quarter mile, to improve a collapsing fence protecting an archaeological site from bovine intrusion — aka. the fence is intended to exclude cows from the site. Unfortunately, cattle will occasionally rub their hefty frames against pre-historic structures, causing damage.

After carrying the logs to the site, the scouts used impact drivers and team work to construct the fence. They then learned about archaeology in the area and had the opportunity to help re-locate and monitor the condition of sites that haven’t been visited by archaeologists for over a decade!

Scouts received a presentation by Shaw which included how to document archeological sites and assess their condition. They also learned about respectful site etiquette, located archeological features in the landscape, and had the opportunity to ask Shaw questions. Plenty of questions, to Shaw’s pleasure! The scouts are now prepared to educate others on site visit principles, like:

• Leave what you find — where you found it.
• Keep a respectful distance from rock imagery and other sites.
• Tread lightly and visit respectfully — do not walk on or through structures; do not touch structures and rock imagery.

Scoutmaster Kevin Ingram of Troup 8 Estes Park said “the scouts raved about everything they did and learned that day! They were extremely proud of what they accomplished and that they were able to visit obscure archeological sites. The project gave them a better understanding of how important it is to keep these sites safe from vandalism.”

The group touted that the opportunity to engage in a project that will help preserve this site for future generations was the best part.

Through the National Historic Preservation Act, those working in federal cultural resources programs are required to be proactive in their management of sites and engagement with the community — a part of the role Chris Shaw finds to be the most rewarding. “It’s uplifting to be able to engage with younger groups who are shaping how they view and interact with the landscape. Through experiential learning in the field, we can potentially leave the issue of vandalism in the past,”