Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Funny Words of LNT

I’ve long practiced, as a Scout Leader, the idea of leaving your camp group cleaner than when you found it.  Cathole, Front Country, Microtrash and dispersed meadow crossing, dispersed wood gathering, Hard Surface Camping, Fire Insulation and Bear Bags were concepts and terms new to this old time Scouter.  These terms and simple ideas on how to reduce our impact, during our outdoor adventures, were all part of the Salt Lake Council’s Outdoor Ethics – Leave No Trace training.

Our mountains, canyons and deserts ,once visited infrequently, are welcoming millions of visitors every year.  The increase in visitors is having a dramatic affect on the ability of these natural wonders to recover between visits.  Outdoor Ethics expects and requires that we, the guardians of these natural resources, take an active role in creating outdoor experiences with less impact.  Seven guiding principals can help us “think before we go” so that we can help maintain nature’s natural beauty.

  • Plan ahead and Prepare
  • Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  • Dispose of Waste Properly (pack it in, pack it out)
  • Leave what you Find
  • Minimize Campfire Impacts
  • Respect Wildlife
  • Be Considerate of Other Visitors


I’ve experienced Microtrash at every camp I’ve ever been on; Those little end pieces that are created when you tear open a larger bag or the biggest culprit; individual candy wrappers. At our successful Klondike camp many of us had to spend time picking up Microtrash thoughout the campsite where over 600 Scouts and Leaders had been camping and participating in the event.  There are easy solutions to this Scouting trash problem.  First, is train the Scouts and Leaders to be aware of the Microtrash and depose of it properly, Second, is for each group to clean their area and help clean common areas of these little trouble makers (trash, not boys J) and finally think about not allowing wrappers to join the trip.  Boys, candy and camps just go together so a dictatorial ban probably won’t be successful.  However, taking a night to train boys to de-wrap their candies before they come to camp can be fun and prevent much of the Microtrash pain.  Candies in a zip lock bag are protected yet don’t have the Microtrash sidekick. 

Beginning at the September 2015 Basic Training, the Western Skies Training Staff will offer a 3 hour Leave No Trace Guide Course.  Come and learn about the fun ways we, as Scouters, can help reduce our impact on our natural resources.


J. Bradley Simons, District Training Chairman

Get Them Outside!

Spring is here and it is time to get outdoors.  Remember that Scouting to a boy includes the promise of outdoor adventure.  There are many wonderful opportunities to get your troops and patrols engaged and outside.  Combine any of these with an overnight campout and a merit badge and you’ll have a program that sizzles!  Here are a few ideas and links:
Hiking – there are many hikes in the Wasatch, Oquirrh, Uinta, and Stansbury Mountains, as well as nearby city and desert options.  Whether it’s the Jordan River Trail or Mount Timpanogos, there are hikes to fit every ability and interest.
http://www.wasatchhiker.com/               

Service – the camping merit badge requires completion of a conservation project.  Consider the spring service Camporee at Hinckley Scout Ranch (East Fork of the Bear) May 29-30.

Bicycling – this takes a little more preparation and gear (please follow Guide to Safe Scouting), but can be super rewarding.  Consider the Rail Trail from Park City to Wanship or the Provo River Trail.

Summer Camp – hopefully you’ve already signed up for camp.  We’ll review a few items at April’s Roundtable that will make summer camp a better experience for all involved.  Leader’s Guides for all Great Salt Lake Council camps are available online and Leader’s Orientation Meetings are coming up soon.


Now, get them outside!

What Makes a Hero? How Can You Be Someone's Hero?

A Japanese Surfer Scuba Dives to Tsunami Victims
By Paul K Pickett July 02, 2013 The "Nobody"

Hideaki Akaiwa was just a regular guy working a regular job when the 2011 Tohoku earthquake shook his world apart. The good news for Akaiwa was that he was several miles inland when the 130-foot tsunami 

The Heroism

When the ocean itself swallows your city, what do you do? Common sense and the 1998 disaster film Deep Impact tell you to make for higher ground as fast as you can and hope that your loved ones do the same. Fortunately for everyone involved, Akaiwa had opted for watching Armageddon instead of Deep Impact. Akaiwa's neighborhood wasn't just wet, it was under 10 feet of water. While everyone else was waiting around for the government or international aid groups to show up, Akaiwa found a wetsuit and scuba gear and started swimming.

Cub Corner April 2015

For those who don’t know, there are changes coming to the Cub Scout program. Beginning in June 2015, all cubs will begin using a new program designed to bring out the adventures in scouting. One of the really big changes is that the Cub Scout program is adopting the Scout Oath and Scout Law. This month, I want to introduce the new Pack Meeting plans that were released on April 2nd that transition Pack Meetings from Core Values to the using the 12 Points of the Scout Law as the theme for the pack meeting.

These plans are great! Each plan shows the Scout Law point and a supplemental theme that can be used for decorating, or activities, etc. All of these things are in the plan. For those who are new leaders, these plans will give you a format with content that you can reproduce exactly in your pack. More experienced leaders can take the ideas and adapt them to the needs of their pack.