Summitdog Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 For more than a century, the BSA has encouraged and honored conservation work with an award that recognizes youth, adults and organizations who have demonstrated tremendous effort and commitment to the environment. This award, which until now had been known as the William T. Hornaday Award, is being discontinued, and the new BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Award is being introduced to underscore the importance of encouraging everyone to participate in environmental stewardship. The new BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Award will continue to recognize the conservation efforts of Scouts, Venturers, Sea Scouts, adult volunteers, and other individuals, corporations, and institutions that contribute significantly to natural resource conservation and environmental protection. It has been streamlined and modernized to build on the extraordinary contributions made by all the dedicated award recipients to date, and we believe the changes will help make these important efforts even more accessible for today’s members. The BSA continuously looks for opportunities to improve our programs and awards as part of our efforts to strengthen the Scouting experience for all. As part of the BSA’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we are in the process of reviewing our programs, names of camps, awards and other aspects to ensure each component models our commitment because there is no place for racism or discrimination– not in Scouting and not in our communities. As we reviewed the William T. Hornaday Award, which recognizes conservation and environmental service, the BSA uncovered issues with Dr. Hornaday that go against the BSA’s values, and we determined that, given this information, the conservation award should no longer bear his name in order to uphold our commitment against racism and discrimination. Effective immediately, the Boy Scouts of America is transitioning conservation recognition to the new BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Award. The change in the award going forward does not in any way diminish the impactful conservation efforts taken on by Scouts, volunteers, and organizations over many years as part of the previous awards program. Their efforts have made important and positive differences in their communities and remain among the proudest bodies of work in Scouting. For those who have earned a Hornaday award prior to this change, the legacy award can now be referred to as the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Award. Although we are unable to replace medals or badges earned by previous award recipients, replacement certificates can be requested. For those that have submitted or are currently working on a Hornaday award or project, the new award program outlines a path to transition to the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Award. Bronze or Silver award distinctions will be used temporarily for individuals whose efforts were already submitted or underway under the previous award program. For all others, the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Award will stand on its own as the organization’s highest award for conservation and environmental service. More information on the new awards program will be available on the BSA’s outdoor programs webpage at www.scouting.org/outdoorprograms. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAJ Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 8 hours ago, Summitdog said: It has been streamlined and modernized to build on the extraordinary contributions made by all the dedicated award recipients to date, and we believe the changes will help make these important efforts even more accessible for today’s members. Does anyone have any inside insight into what this means? I have a Scout who is a couple weeks away from starting to plan her Eagle project, which she wanted to be Hornaday eligible as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CynicalScouter Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 (edited) 1 minute ago, BAJ said: Does anyone have any inside insight into what this means? I have a Scout who is a couple weeks away from starting to plan her Eagle project, which she wanted to be Hornaday eligible as well. Details to be released November 1. Quote For those that have submitted or are currently working on a Hornaday award or project, the new award program outlines a path to transition to the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Award. Bronze or Silver award distinctions will be used temporarily for individuals whose efforts were already submitted or underway under the previous award program. For all others, the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Award will stand on its own as the organization’s highest award for conservation and environmental service. More information on the new awards program, including details about how you can participate will be available here on November 1, 2020. Edited October 14, 2020 by CynicalScouter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentinel947 Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 William Hornaday has some controversy in his background. Given current events today, it makes sense that the BSA would rename the award. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CynicalScouter Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Sentinel947 said: William Hornaday has some controversy in his background. Displaying a caged African in a zoo? In the Monkey House? Yeah, "controversy" is doing some heavy lifting there. Edited October 14, 2020 by CynicalScouter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 I hope Hornaday's conservation work was reviewed and also a factor. https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2011/11/11/142211950/what-not-to-do-when-you-meet-the-last-great-wild-buffalo IMHO, the award should have been renamed for Teddy Roosevelt, an avid outdoorsman and dedicated conservationist. My $0.02, 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 Link below includes link to new requirements https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/conservation-and-environment/conservation-awards-and-recognitions/bsa-distinguished-conservation-service-award/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle94-A1 Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 On 10/14/2020 at 10:09 AM, RememberSchiff said: I hope Hornaday's conservation work was reviewed and also a factor. https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2011/11/11/142211950/what-not-to-do-when-you-meet-the-last-great-wild-buffalo IMHO, the award should have been renamed for Teddy Roosevelt, an avid outdoorsman and dedicated conservationist. My $0.02, Don't forget first, and only(?) Chief Scout Citizen. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred8033 Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 It gets tiring to watch history being erased. Maybe we should just stop naming things after people. People are flawed. ... except Jimmy Stewart. Now that guy was cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred8033 Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 On 10/14/2020 at 9:09 AM, RememberSchiff said: IMHO, the award should have been renamed for Teddy Roosevelt, an avid outdoorsman and dedicated conservationist. Teddy Roosevelt? Nope. He's out too. https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/03/21/teddy-roosevelt-legacy-100-years I get tired watching history being erased. We should just stop naming things after people. People are flawed. ... except Jimmy Stewart. That guy was cool. The conversation movement did not just happen on it's own. People advanced it. Hornaday was a focal point. ... IMHO ... It's okay to celebrate an achievement without being interpreted as saying the man was perfect. Change the award. Fine. It's just a sad thing to watch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 So award people but not to the extent of naming awards after them...unless they Nobelly donate significant treasure towards that honor? Might be an interesting spin to ask a Scout during Scoutmaster Conference - do you feel you earned this to the extent that you own it, this award hereafter will be called the (Scout name here) award? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashmaster Posted November 11, 2020 Share Posted November 11, 2020 Roger Staubach he is the guy, they can name anything after him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walk in the woods Posted November 11, 2020 Share Posted November 11, 2020 9 hours ago, mashmaster said: Roger Staubach he is the guy, they can name anything after him. Oh please. He was a lackey of American Imperialism! 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremyschultz Posted November 11, 2020 Share Posted November 11, 2020 I'm very disappointed that they didn't keep the same award structure which allowed for a badge for adults and also a certificate for units. Those are the two things I wanted my pack and I to work toward. If this Hornaday name was the issue, all they had to do was remove the name. I think the rest of the program was OK. Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjohns2 Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 On 11/11/2020 at 10:00 AM, jeremyschultz said: which allowed for a badge for adults and also a certificate for units You must not have followed the links. There is still an adult award. The unit award was odd to me as it didn't seem to fit in. They are saying units should earn the Conservation Good Turn certificate, which already existed. https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/conservation-and-environment/conservation-good-turn/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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