RememberSchiff

July 7, 2022, North Dakota: Leafy spurge is an invasive, fast spreading noxious weed which cattle will not graze. The plant also contains a toxic substance that serves as an irritant, emetic and purgative when consumed by livestock. It has caused death in cattle, sheep and loss of hair and inflammation on the feet of horses. However, sheep and goats can graze Leafy spurge as part of their diet, as a form of cultural control of the plant. Every summer for more than a quarter century, Merlin Leithold, executive secretary of the North Dakota Weed Control Association and Grant County weed control officer, has held a flea beetle field day along the south shore of Lake Tschida at the Boy Scout camp site. Some 100 landowners brought cloth nets in the shape of a cone to sweep back and forth through the fields of spurge plants, collecting tiny orange flea beetles to control leafy spurge at their ranches. It was still wet out from rain the night before, so net sweepers had to wait for the leaves to dry so sweeping could be successful. In addition, wet flea beetles usually do not survive. “We swept for and collected 545,000 flea beetles at this year’s field day. We put about 3,000 flea beetles in each paper bag and were able to hand out 185 bags for landowners to release on their properties,” he said. “They put the bags in their coolers and took them home to their ranches. It was a good day.” “Flea beetles only eat leafy spurge, nothing else, and leafy spurge continues to be one of North Dakota’s most difficult-to-control noxious weeds,” Leithold said. What is unusual about the Boy Scout camp site in Grant County is that it is the only site in the state that has been producing flea beetles every year for 26 years. “Most field days on a site have a duration of five years at the longest, but this site could be considered the longest running field day on the same site in the nation,” he said. “If records were kept, it would probably be a U.S. record.” Leithold is not sure why the Boy Scout camp site continues to produce flea beetles long after other sites have to be closed and moved to another leafy spurge area, but he suspects it has something to do with ants. Female flea beetles lay eggs in the spring, and ants are natural predators of the eggs. “I think there’s just enough ants there to keep the population of flea beetles down to where they don’t completely overtake the leafy spurge at the site,” he said. Using the flea beetles for biological control, as part of an integrated pest management plan, has proven to be an effective tool in combatting leafy spurge infestations, according to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. A few years ago, Boy Scout officials wanted to build a covered picnic table area at the camp for the boy scouts. When they found out that the area was used for a flea beetle field day, they built it where the county could utilize it for the field day. “It is really a nice area for a flea beetle field day,” Leithold said. Near the covered picnic area, Leithold builds a collection area with jars underneath so ranchers can dump the beetles out when their nets are full. Then, they can return to sweeping and gathering more flea beetles. At the end of the day, Leithold, along with Martin, and other sorters, take out the flea beetles and place them in paper bags with a bit of spurge to feed on and staple the top. More at sources: https://www.agupdate.com/farmandranchguide/news/crop/flea-beetle-field-day-offers-bio-control-solution-for-producers/article_cced0d20-15be-11ed-949a-5f8cead6338f.html https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/crops/integrated-management-of-leafy-spurge https://library.ndsu.edu/ir/bitstream/handle/10365/3098/1887th90.pdf?sequence=1 https://beef.unl.edu/beefwatch/2020/leafy-spurge-0

Though on this side of the pond we likely missed the Aug 1 date, IMHO this is a thrifty opportunity for marketing the Scouting Brand (from World Scouting Foundation) - Scout Scarf (Neckerchief) Day was Aug 1. The idea of "Scout Scarf Day" on August 1 is that all active and former scouts are requested to wear their scout scarfs in public to make the "Spirit of Scouting" visible: Once a Scout - Always a Scout! The date of the event commemorates the very first Scout Camp on Brownsea Island in 1907.  Of course, the scarf is only a symbol but a strong symbol for the scout promise and for our mission to leave the world as a bit better a place than we had found it.  http://www.scoutscarfday.com/?locale=en

Update Aug 8, 2022: Pfizer has started a late-stage clinical trial for a protein-based Lyme vaccine, VLA15. Vaccination will be a three-dose regimen, administered over a five-to-nine month period, followed by a booster dose 12 months later. It targets Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Pfizer has been co-developing the vaccine with French biotech firm Valneva since 2020. There are currently no vaccines approved in the United States for the tick-borne illness, which infects an estimated 476,000 people in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pfizer said it aims to enroll approximately 6,000 healthy adults and children 5 and older in the phase 3 trial, which will evaluate whether the vaccine is safe and effective. More at sources: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/lyme-disease-vaccine-pfizer-begins-late-stage-clinical-trial-rcna41740 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/08/08/pfizer-lyme-disease-vaccine-trial-valneva/10266892002/ Note: @scoutldr

Thoughts while waiting for town building inspector to show... Some see just saving money as being Thrifty. Some see just saving their time, as in selecting a pre-packaged program requiring little planning and preparation, as being Thrifty Some see just saving resources, as in not wasting or duplicating , as being Thrifty, Scouts strive to save money, time, and resources while getting tasks done. Thrifty. My $0.01,

Off-topic posts related to TCJC, LDS have been moved here.

From Environmental MB requirements: 3 (h) Invasive Species 2) Do research on two invasive plant or animal species in your com- munity or camp. Find out where the species originated, how they were transported to the United States, their life history, how they are spread, and the recommended means to eradicate or control their spread. Report your research orally or in writing to your counselor. The Domestic (free-ranging, feral) Cat. Up to 164 million cats reside in the United States, of which an estimated 30 to 80 million are unowned (Loss et al. 2013) (Figure 2). A large portion of owned cats are also free-ranging (Loss et al. 2013). The threat which free-ranging cats pose to native wildlife. Domestic cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they only eat animal tissue, organs, and bones. Plant material is eaten for emetic purposes (i.e., to cause nausea and vomiting). ... But while cats seem to have some success in keeping rats out of specific spots, studies have found that cats are better at making us think there are fewer rats than at actually eliminating them. When scientists observed cats and rats in a recycling plant in Brooklyn, they found that cats would make rats run for cover, but that they only managed to kill a grand total of two. ... Scientific studies estimate that free-ranging and feral cats kill 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually in the United States, and that the majority of diet items are native species (Loss et al. 2013). Domestic cats are invasive in all 50 states in the U.S. and in most countries, globally. Cats were likely domesticated in Middle Eastern faming villages. Population estimates are difficult to obtain due to the secretive nature of cats and lack of consistent census by local municipalities. Predators: coyotes, feral dogs, wolves, no mention of invasive Melmacians. Sources: Damage Management Technical Series/free-ranging-and-feral-cats.pdf (25 pages well documented, https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/cats-cute-furry-cuddly-invasive-alien-species-rcna41768

FYI: BSA Invasive Species Management Plan Template The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) National Camp Accreditation Program specifies that Scout camp properties need an invasive species management plan. Since BSA camps manage natural lands, an appropriate plan needs to be developed and implemented to manage invasive species. Invasive species can be defined as an alien (or non-native) species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Like an invading army, invasive species can take over and degrade natural ecosystems. Invasives disrupt the intricate web of life for plants, animals, and microorganisms and compete for limited natural resources. Invasives can impact nature in many ways, including growing and spreading rapidly over large areas, displacing native plants including rare or endangered species, reducing food and shelter for native wildlife, eliminating host plants of native insects, and competing for native plant pollinators. Some invasives spread so rapidly that they muscle out most other native plants, changing a forest, meadow, wetland, or body of water into an invasive species–dominated landscape. The following example of an Invasive Species Management Plan (ISMP) is based on criteria established by the National Invasive Species Council. This template can be customized by a council to conform to the council’s resources and capabilities and to meet the local need for managing invasive species. Ideally, the Invasive Species Management Plan should be part of the overall Camp Conservation Plan, or at a minimum, it should be consistent with and complementary to the Camp Conservation Plan. Where practical, the camp ISMP should address key components including prevention, early detection and response, control and management, restoration, and organizational collaboration. These elements form the main structure of the National Invasive Species Management Plan that should serve as the basis for the development of any invasive species management plan. ... Source with examples of invasive species: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/designdevelop/doc/Invasive_Species_Management_Plan.doc

The Greater Niagara Frontier Council's Camp Schoellkopf sold to Thalveg LLC of East Aurora* for $2.6 million on May 20, according to records filed with the Wyoming County Clerk’s Office. Camp Schoellkopf is in the Town of Bennington in Wyoming County and includes 557 acres, multiple camp style buildings, two ponds, forests and oil, gas and mineral rights. A Council representative said in a written statement to The Buffalo News in April that the undisclosed buyer at the time planned to continue to use the property for environmentally friendly recreation activities. *Thalveg, LLC was incorporated on March 1, 2022, business address is a single-family home. https://buffalonews.com/news/boy-scout-council-unloads-two-of-its-three-camps-for-3-2m-to-help-pay/article_d57fbf0e-147a-11ed-86bb-9bed7f29cb79.html

Oh, my mistake . Thanks. FYI @T2Eagle another potential new topic, Ohio House Bill 709.

Posts regarding mandatory reporting moved to their own topic created by @T2Eagle

From New Jersey BSA scout Troop 99G Reporting source: https://villagegreennj.com/towns/south-orange/see-a-spotted-lanternfly-stomp-it-say-south-orange-officials-boy-scouts/

“We are committed to working with all constituents to make the necessary changes required by the ruling to drive this process forward and we remain optimistic about securing approval of a final Plan as soon as possible” the Boy Scouts said in an emailed statement. ... In a ruling that could have a significant impact on the case, Silverstein refused to approve the settlement involving the LDS Church. The judge noted that the settlement includes liability releases for non-Scouting abuse claims and “stretches third-party releases too far.” Perhaps The Church of Latter Day Saints will amend their Sept "deal" to address the Judge's concerns about including non-Scouting incidents. ... Silverstein also ruled that a committee of abuse claimants attorneys who would advise the trustee overseeing the victims compensation fund will have no consent or veto rights over procedures developed by the trustee, a retired federal judge, to ferret out fraudulent claims. Yeah, another powerless advisory committee. Reminds me of ... https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/08/01/boy-scout-bankruptcy-hits-snag/ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-judge-rejects-boy-scouts-27-bln-sex-abuse-deal-2022-07-30/

But if a major CO pulled out of the plan, would not their insurers want to proportionately reduce their contribution to the settlement?

No I did not. His post was hidden too.

I hid off-topic posts. Let's get back on topic, the Judge's opinion. thanks, RS

In her conclusion, Silverstein didn’t say whether she was approving or denying the complex compensation fund, but instead simply told the Boy Scouts that they “have decisions to make regarding the plan and need sufficient time to determine how to proceed.” Silverstein said she would hold a court hearing on the status of the reorganization after Boy Scouts have reviewed her detailed ruling. More at source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-29/boy-scouts-must-change-2-7-billion-sex-abuse-fund-judge-rules

USA Today A federal bankruptcy judge issued an opinion in the Boy Scouts of America case Friday, approving many portions of the nonprofit's plan to exit bankruptcy while rejecting others. The ruling creates a path for Scouts to move forward but leaves some issues unresolved.... https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2022/07/29/judge-oks-boy-scouts-bankruptcy-plan-issues-remain-sexual-abuse/9584367002/

Judge Accepts Most of Boy Scouts Bankruptcy Plan to End Biggest Sex-Abuse Case Judge shoots down some insurer objections and requests more plan information from the youth group https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-accepts-most-of-boy-scouts-bankruptcy-plan-to-end-biggest-sex-abuse-case-11659126315?mod=newsviewer_click Unfortunately most of article is behind a paywall.

@Scoutcrafter welcome to scouter.com

Regarding Council patches, I prefer a return to community strips. Maybe using name tape (label tape), sewn on or velcro?

Oh no, dare I say, ManScouts?

overreach? anti-competitive? The Girl Scouts have neither a monopoly of scouts who are girls nor cookies sold by scouts. We have talked about selling GF, non-dairy snacks, e.g., power bars, cookies. https://www.otisspunkmeyer.com/blog/teaching-leadership-responsibility-and-life-skills My $0.02,

According to MarketWatch, some settlement details The bankrupt Boy Scouts said the proposed settlement includes the Girl Scouts dropping its appeal (NY federal judge ruling in April which they lost), withdrawing its opposition to the Boy Scouts proposed reorganization, and dropping its roughly $11 million claim in the bankruptcy. The Boy Scouts will withdraw a motion in the district court case that roughly $16 million of its legal fees and expenses be covered. Settlement terms also include the Boy Scouts not using "girls" before "scouts," and not doing cookie fundraisers. The Girl Scouts can't do any fundraising involving popcorn. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/girl-scouts-and-bankrupt-boy-scouts-settle-trademark-dispute-271658794860

Thousands of Arrowmen from across America are excited to be in Knoxville, Tennessee to attend the Order of the Arrow’s National Conference on July 25-30, 2022! Hundreds of Eagle Scouts and members of the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) are among them. ... You can also enter drawings for NESA items such as NESA patches, NESA buckles, and even a Joseph Cstari Original Print for the Grand Prize. “Meet the Man” sessions will also be announced featuring the Chief Scout Executive Roger C. Mosby and NESA National President-Frank Tsuru. We also anticipate incoming BSA President Brad Tilden will make an appearance and answer questions while at the booth. ... More details at source: https://nesa.org/news/sneak-peek-at-what-is-instore-for-nesa-at-noac/