A couple of areas that were suggested to me to give more information about on my blog about my Hornaday conservation project are reasons I chose it and why it’s important. I’d like to give credit to Mr. William O’Brochta, who I met at the 2017 National Jamboree Hornaday exhibit tent at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia this summer, for making these suggestions to me.
There are many reasons I chose my conservation project to work on. Originally, I wanted to do something to rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife. But, I couldn’t locate any place to do that in my area. My family and Boy Scout advisers also couldn’t locate any place like that, either. Just recently, however, I did locate a place in that does this, and maybe I can do something with that for my Eagle project.
Not being able to find my first choice for a project, I thought about other places I was familiar with. I thought about Dunwoody Nature Center and Charlie Elliott State Park. I expressed an interest with doing a project at both places. Staff at Dunwoody Nature Center quickly responded to me with many activities that I could do. A Scoutmaster who volunteers at Charlie Elliott State Park asked about a project for me there, but I was declined. I also thought about a possible project in Stone Mountain with the U.S. Forest Service, but accepted project work at Dunwoody Nature Center.
Reasons for my acceptance of doing a project at Dunwoody Nature Center are because: 1. I already knew the people who work there because of taking merit badge classes there and the people are really nice; 2. I was familiar and comfortable with the area at Dunwoody Nature Center; 3. there were many conservation-related activities that were offered to me that I could do for a project; 4. I could do lots of activities instead of just focusing on one, and not get bored; 5. and the most important activity that the staff suggested was removing invasive plants – there were tons of them.
More reasons for doing my project at DNC are as follows: 6. I could learn more about nature, conservation, and the environment by doing my project; 7. I could educate other people about my project; 8. I could give back to scouting and the community; 9. I knew this could be a long-term project for me that would make a positive and lasting impact on the environment; and 10. I had time in my schedule on Fridays to be able to commit to doing a regular project.
There are also reasons that my conservation project is important. These reasons are: 1. my project makes a positive and lasting impact on the environment at Dunwoody Nature Center; 2. my project has been successful in removing and managing 100s of invasive plants, improving the natural ecosystem at Dunwoody Nature Center; 3. my project was completed with no disruptions to people or animals at DNC; 4. my project has helped native plants and trees to have more open space, survive, and grow better than before; and 5. my project has been a benefit to the people who visit and enjoy DNC, by providing more open space and helping native plant growth.
Additional reasons for the importance of my project at DNC include: 6. I’ve improved a large area of green space inside of a large city in a metropolitan area; 7. I’ve developed a stronger friendship with the staff at DNC; and 8. I’ve been able to give back to scouting and my community by completing many conservation-related activities at DNC on a regular basis, such as removing and managing invasive plants; building and placing 5 bird feeders, and maintaining them; regularly filling bird feeders and bird baths; planting 60 Autumn ferns in areas where I removed invasive plants; mulching 2 trails to save soil and help stop erosion; and removing branches and logs from trails and areas where I planted ferns.
Some of the biggest things I’ve enjoyed about doing my conservation project at Dunwoody Nature Center are developing a stronger friendship with the staff who work there, and increasing my interest in science, nature, conservation, and the environment. Before I began my project, I wanted to have a career as a video game designer. After doing this project, I’d like a science-related career as a biologist, or something related to that.
With hands-on experience in conservation, I have a better understanding of the environment, and more appreciation for nature. I want to help protect the environment even more now, as a result of doing my project. So, my project has been worthwhile, not only for the environment, ecosystem, and people who visit Dunwoody Nature Center, but it has been most rewarding for me, personally. All of these are reasons for doing my project and why it’s important.
MY BOY SCOUT HORNADAY CONSERVATION PROJECT 