Me receiving my Hornaday Badge Award, Snellville, Georgia, September 8, 2018.
On September 8, 2018, an honor court was held at Church of the Redeemer in Snellville, where I was awarded my Hornaday Badge for the volunteer work and project I completed at Dunwoody Nature Center from 2016-2017. It was great to finally receive the award after all of the hard work I did. I’m happy to have been able to celebrate with so many people who supported me in my endeavor.
Me, receiving my Hornaday Badge Award, and my family, Snellville, Georgia, September 8, 2018.
More than one year has passed since I finished my project. I submitted my completed project portfolio binder to my Council Hornaday Advisor, Mrs. Donna Kaplan, in October 2017. The Northeast Georgia Council Hornaday Committee reviewed and approved my portfolio and forwarded it to the National Boy Scout Council.
Me with my Hornaday project sponsor, Mrs. Holly Loveland, and my scoutmaster, Mr. Earl Collins, Snellville, Georgia, September 8, 2018.
In April 2017, Mrs. Kaplan let me know that the National Council had approved my project for a Hornaday Award. After that, the Northeast Georgia Council prepared my badge and certificate in July 2018. My family and my troop, Troop 548, hosted a William T. Hornaday Honor Court for me last weekend.
Me with members of my troop, Snellville, Georgia, September 8, 2018.
Doing the Hornaday project at Dunwoody Nature Center has taught me more appreciation and respect for the environment. Science is already important to me, and my project ingrained my interest even more. I’m still interested in studying biology when I go to college, and I hope to work in a science-related field as an adult. Completing my Hornaday project showed me that I can do it, and that I can pursue what I enjoy as a career.
In September 2017, I met with my Council Hornaday Committee Advisor, Mrs. Donna Kaplan. She and I reviewed the binder of documents and information I compiled about my Hornaday project at Dunwoody Nature Center. She gave me suggestions about more information to add to my binder, and I did so. I then turned in my final project report and binder portfolio to her the next month. It was lots of work just to put all of that together! Thank you, Mrs. Kaplan.
Mrs. Loveland and I at Dunwoody Nature Center, September 1, 2017
Today, September 1, 2017, is the last day of my conservation project at Dunwoody Nature Center! I can’t believe all this time has already gone by, and I’m now done. I’ve logged more than 610 total hours for my project.
Me with my cookie cake, Dunwoody Nature Center, September 1, 2017
Earlier this week, I met with my conservation coach, Mr. Abercrombie, who is also my assistant scoutmaster, to review my project binder with all of my information and reports. He gave me great suggestions that I’ve already put into place, making some changes to my reports to improve them.
Me filling one of the bird feeders, Dunwoody Nature Center, September 1, 2017
Today, Mrs. Loveland gave me her signed acceptance letter, stating that Dunwoody Nature Center accepts all of the work that I’ve done there for my project. She and I reviewed my project binder and photo albums. She also gave me a cookie cake! That was a nice surprise, and made me feel appreciated.
Me standing next to one of the bird houses I built, with my project name plate on it, Dunwoody Nature Center, September 1, 2017
I’ll miss going to Dunwoody Nature Center to work on my project. Now, my schedule is more opened up to do some different activities. I’ll still go to visit everyone at Dunwoody Nature Center, and I look forward to the next time I’ll be there. Thank you, everyone!
I was looking through my conservation project pictures today, and putting them into photo albums. It was nice to go back through my work and see all that I’ve done! I found some more really cool before and after pictures, and I’d like to post them here. Please see them to follow:
Me getting lumber at Lowe’s for the birdhouses, January 2017Completed birdhouses I built, February 2017Me with one of the birdhouses I built, February 2017Before picture of one of my work areas, November 2016After picture of one of my work areas, August 2017Before picture of one of my work areas, November 2016After picture of one of my work areas, August 2017A during work picture of one of my work areas, January 2017One of my work areas after planting ferns there, April 2017One of my work areas after 4 months of fern growth, August 2017Before picture of one of my work areas, April 2017A during work picture of the previous area, April 2017After picture of the previous work area, April 2017Another after picture of the previous work area, before mom sprayed wisteria, June 2017Another after picture of the prior work area, before cutting out more dead wisteria, August 2017Before picture of one work area, October 2016After picture of the previous work area, before removing wisteria and privet at middle back of picture, August 2017Before picture of trail, October 2016After mulching the previous trail, March 2017The trail, all mulched, March 2017Before picture of trail, October 2016Mulching the trail in the previous picture, March 2017Removing the log from the trail, April 2017After picture of trail once I removed the log, April 2017Before picture of one of my work areas, April 2017After picture of one of my work areas, April 2017Another after picture of the previous work area, August 2017
As you can see, there are lots of cool before, during, and after pictures of my work at Dunwoody Nature Center. These are just some of many photos that show my work.
Five news articles have been published about my Hornaday conservation project at Dunwoody Nature Center. One was published in The Dunwoody Reporter in January 2017 and authored by Ms. Dyana Bagby. Another was written by Ms. Savannah Norton and published on the K12 national blog site, “BloggEd,” in July 2017.
A third article was published in the Georgia Cyber Academy Advanced Learner Program Newsletter in January 2017 (but no longer showing; only my picture is there) by Mrs. Rebekah Cooper; she attached the link in her newsletter from Ms. Bagby’s article. Two more articles were published on http://www.patch.com by my mom.
Me in one large area I cleared of Chinese wisteria and replanted with Autumn ferns at Dunwoody Nature Center, August 11, 2017
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.
Me with my family supporters who’ve helped me with my Hornaday project – Mom, Dad, and Grandpa. Snellville, Georgia, August 16, 2017
The people who’ve given me the most help, time, and support with my Hornaday conservation project at Dunwoody Nature Center have been my family. I got them together this week for a group photo. My grandfather guided and supervised my construction of five bird houses. My father worked with me on my two troop workdays, and took me to Dunwoody Nature Center twice to complete additional work. And, my mom has been my biggest supporter, taking me to Dunwoody Nature Center all but two times I’ve gone there for my project work. Thank you to my family and all of my supporters!
Me taking a water break. Some wisteria runners that I clipped out are on the ground; others in the bag. Dunwoody Nature Center, August 11, 2017
For the past three months, I’ve been following up at my project site to observe the results of my work and complete any needed upkeep. I’ve been very happy with the results I’ve seen, and hope those results can be maintained or improved.
Clipping out dead Chinese wisteria, Dunwoody Nature Center, August 11, 2017
I’ve been visiting the Dunwoody Nature Center twice each month for the past three months. I’ve follow-up on and observed invasive plant regrowth by Chinese wisteria, Chinese privet, and English ivy. The main focus of my project has been to remove Chinese wisteria and privet, and I removed alot of English ivy after observing that it was beginning to grow into the areas where I removed the wisteria and privet.
Area of dead Chinese wisteria where mom sprayed, Dunwoody Nature Center, June 25, 2017
On my occasions of visiting Dunwoody Nature Center to observe any invasive plant regrowth, there have been plants that grew back, but they’re much more manageable now. On my first follow-up visit, there were no plants that regrew. On my second follow-up visit, there were 30 plants that regrew. Because mom didn’t bring any RoundUp that day, she sprayed them the next time we went.
On my next follow-up visit, I observed that 80 more plants regrew. Mom sprayed those, and the I removed them on our next visit. On another follow-up visit, I observed no plants that regrew. But, on the next follow-up visit, there were 50 plants that regrew. Mom sprayed those, and I removed them.
Area showing dead and dying English ivy where mom sprayed, Dunwoody Nature Center, June 25, 2017
During my follow-up visit to Dunwoody Nature Center last week, after removing the dead plants that had regrown, mom and I cut out more Chinese wisteria and Chinese privet, deeper back in the woods. We cut out another 100 invasive plants.
And, because all of the rain washed so much dirt away, wisteria runners up to 25 long were exposed on top of the ground, and we cut out as much as we could. We filled two large yard waste bags with the long wisteria runners and the 100 plants that we cut out from deeper into the woods.
Area showing some regrowth of Chinese wisteria, Dunwoody Nature Center, June 25, 2017
For the past two weeks, the weather in Georgia has been extremely hot and humid. Last Friday at Dunwoody Nature Center, the temperature was 95 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity was 100%. It was like a sauna! By the time mom and I were finished working, we were drenched in sweat. I drank almost 3 bottles of water that afternoon! It was too hot!
I’ve also followed up on the additional activities that I completed at Dunwoody Nature Center as part of my project. I’ve observed and it was reported to me by staff that the bird feeders were being refilled at least once per month. Staff is expecting to refill them more often between Fall and Spring now that Summer Camp season is done.
Same area as above picture, showing regrown plants removed and new regrowth. I removed all of the wisteria and privet in the middle back of this picture, going deeper into the woods. Dunwoody Nature Center, August 11, 2017
The bird baths, however, were not being cleaned or refilled. I refilled the bird feeders and bird baths when I came to do my follow-up observations and maintenance during these past three months.
Chinese wisteria and privet that I removed from deeper in the woods, Dunwoody Nature Center, August 11, 2017
During my follow-up visits, I removed branches that had fallen from trees, that were in the areas where I planted ferns. I observed that some of the ferns have doubled in size, and others have remained about the same size. All of the ferns are alive; none have died.
Same area as fourth photo, showing dead and dying English ivy. Dunwoody Nature Center, August 11, 2017
I also cleaned out the bird houses so they could be used by other birds to nest in the future. Unfortunately, I saw that most of the mulch that was used to mulch the two trails on my troop workday was washed away by the rain. There’s mostly bare ground showing now, and very little mulch remains on those trails.
I’ve created fliers to recruit volunteers to regularly manage invasive plants and refill the bird feeders at Dunwoody Nature Center. The fliers were posted last week. I’ve asked for anyone interested to contact me or Mrs. Loveland at the Dunwoody Nature Center for training. In the past, groups of volunteers – like from UPS – and individuals, come and volunteer at Dunwoody Nature Center. Mrs. Loveland let me know she’ll make it a priority to have volunteers manage the invasive plant growth.
One area where I removed 200 English ivy plants and planted Autumn ferns. Most of the ferns have more than doubled in size in 4 months. Dunwoody Nature Center, August 11, 2017
There are just a couple of weeks left before I finish up my project. I plan to return to Dunwoody Nature Center in the future for more community service – like volunteering at Summer Camp again – and to follow-up and do maintenance on my project work.
Me in part of my largest work area, Dunwoody Nature Center, August 11, 2017
This has been a really huge project for me, and has influenced me in a positive way. I’m even more interested in science, nature, and conservation now; and I’d like to be a biologist. It has been great to work with everyone at Dunwoody Nature Center, and to get the support of so many people who’ve helped me along the way!
Me showing my completed mining in society badge card at the 2017 National Jamboree, West Virginia, July 24, 2017
From July 19-28, 2017, I attended and participated in the 2017 National Jamboree for Boy Scouts and Venturers at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia. It was a great experience, but with alot of walking, and I did many activities.
Me at the Summit Bechtel Reserve 2017 National Jamboree, West Virginia, July 24, 2017
There were alot of activities already planned for my Troop 3127 with the Northeast Georgia Council before we got there, so that didn’t leave very much time to do things I wanted to do. But, I still did things that I liked.
Me at the Hornaday Exhibit Tent at the 2017 National Jamboree, West Virginia, July 25, 2017
Conservation-related activities I completed at the 2017 National Jamboree were going to the Hornaday Exhibit Tent and talking with scout staff. I went there twice, and talked to two people. Both times I went there, I talked with men who were very encouraging. The second time, I talked to the Central Region Angling Chairman, who asked me many questions about my Hornaday project. He also talked to me about preparing my final report and following up on the progress I’ve made with my project.
Me with Staffmember Mr. Michael Brand at the Hornaday Exhibit Tent, 2017 National Jamboree, July 25, 2017
I also went to the Sustainability Tree House three times. The first two times, I didn’t have much chance to look through it because I had to get back to my camp and it was at the end of the day. The third time I went there, I looked through all of it except the top floor because of the risk of lightning that day. It was really cool!
Me at the Sustainability Tree House, 2017 National Jamboree, July 25, 2017
At the National Eagle Scout Association Tent, I saw Regis, the bald eagle. Regis is the Association’s mascot. He is a beautiful eagle, and a wonderful representative of the Association. It’s disappointing that he is an eagle in captivity, but it looks like he is being well taken care of.
Me with Regis, the bald eagle, at the NESA Tent. 2017 National Jamboree; July 25, 2017
At Jamboree, I gave out some of my custom-made Hornaday patches to scout leaders. Unfortunately, my fellow scouts at Jamboree weren’t very interested in them, and didn’t want to trade any of their patches for them. But, working on my project is still very important to me, and I know I’ve made a positive impact on the environment.
Me with Mrs. Donna Kaplan, my Council Hornaday Chairwoman, Snellville, Georgia, June 27, 2017
In the past month, I’ve thanked the major supporters of my Hornaday project for all of their time, effort, and dedication to working with me. It wasn’t just me doing the work – there have been many people who helped me along the way. If it wasn’t for them, I might not have been able to do my project.
Mrs. Donna Kaplan, Council Hornaday Chairwoman, with appreciation plaque from me, Snellville, Georgia, June 27, 2017
I’ve shown my appreciation to my supporters (besides my parents) in many ways. I gave them Boy Scout certificates of appreciation, thank you photo collage cards that included pictures of my work, and custom-made patches to commemorate my project. I also gave large plaques of appreciation to my supporters. For two of my major supporters, mom and I either took them out to dinner or gave them restaurant gift cards.
Me with my Hornaday sponsor and adviser, Mrs. Holly Loveland, after giving her appreciation plaque, Dunwoody, Georgia, May 26, 2017
Because I’ve not yet entirely completed my project, I haven’t formally thanked all of my supporters. I still have a couple of items of appreciation to give to my Hornaday coach and scoutmaster. In a couple months when I finish my project, I’ll give them ‘thank yous,’ too.
Me with Snellville Lowe’s Manager Wayne after giving him an appreciation plaque, Snellville, Georgia, May 26, 2017
The biggest thing I want my supporters to know is that I couldn’t have done my project without them. I’ve needed them to help me with paperwork, advice, time, and supervision. And, I also appreciate that most of them understand what a huge undertaking this has been for me. Every one of my supporters played a part – whether large or small – in my project’s success.
Me giving an appreciation plaque to my grandfather, Bruce Babcock, Snellville, Georgia, May 26, 2017
I’m considering doing more Hornaday projects in the future, and hope to have more great experiences with them. I hope my supporters will continue to give their time, effort, advice, and supervision. In the future, I hope to get more support from my troop, 548 in Snellville, and for scouts and leaders in my troop to better understand and appreciate conservation, the environment, and Hornaday projects. I’d also like to be taken more seriously by youth and adults, and for them to understand that a teen like me can complete an extensive project to better the environment.
Information
Let me know if you have comments or questions about my project. Note: This site is regularly parent-monitored.
MY BOY SCOUT HORNADAY CONSERVATION PROJECT 