Re: Yosemite Bear Development and Outdoor Citizenship
golden cliff (c60clg1@CORN.CSO.NIU.EDU)
Thu, 29 Aug 1996 17:28:27 -0500
Timothy O' Leary posed some excellent questions for discussion regarding
the level of expertise of Scouting units using the backcountry.
In the 1990 edition of the Scoutmaster's Handbook pages 137-138, the
Wilderness Use Policy of the BSA is outlined.
I'm not going to recite the entire thing, but here are some key points.
- contact owner/manager of property well in advance for permits,
regulations, and maps.
- Obtain tour permit.
- Limit size of group to no more than 8 to 11 persons.
- Make trip appropriate with experience, ability, and skill level of group.
- Conduct pre-trip training stressing proper wilderness behavior.
- Use backpacking stoves, if fires necessary- keep them small.
- Emphasize minimum impact on land.
- Leave dogs, radios, etc at home.
- Use biodegradable or plastic food containers. Carry unburnable trash out.
- Dig shallow holes for latrines (cat holes) 200 ft from water sources.
- Wash clothes, bodies, dishes 200 ft from water sources.
- Select equipment with muted colors which blend with natural surroudings.
- Look and photograph, never pick or collect.
- Follow switchbacks, stay on established trails.
- Treat wildlife with respect.
The Wilderness Use Policy is more detailed than the above list, but I just
hit the highlights to save bandwidth.
I do think we need to do a better job of training leaders and boys for
wilderness activities. The wilderness isn't idiot proof, and
unfortunately we have some idiots in the program. They not only harm the
reputation of the BSA, but damage the environment and pass along poor
camping habits to boys which perpetuates the problem.
I think if we could drill only 3 things into the minds of Scouts and
Scouters they should be...
Keep the Group Small. Be Prepared. Be Responsible.
--------------------- ------------ ---------------
YIS, Cliff Golden
Scoutmaster Troop 33; DeKalb, IL
On Thu, 29 Aug 1996, Timothy J O'Leary wrote:
>
> Some thoughts for discussion.
>
> 1. Should we ever build a wood fire in the backcountry?
> 2. Is the "standard latrine" outmoded. Should we always use individual
> "catholes."
> 3. Can we actually camp in groups of 30 or more in many backcountry
> sites, without too much trampling of the foliage?
> 4. Are the "camp improvements" we sometimes make environmentally
> detrimental.
>
> Admittedly, most of the time backcountry campoing is limited to older
> Scouts, but if we don't teach "environmentally sensitive camping"
> from the beginning, we may be making a mistake.
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
