Of all the wonderful ways that the National Park Service (NPS) can help us get to know our natural, cultural, and historical wonders, one important aspect is community building. To connect more youth to their local communities, NPS created the Resource Stewardship Scout Ranger Program in partnership with the Boy Scouts of America, which welcomes boys, girls, and young adults to participate. Through this program, BSA Scouts and Cub Scouts can earn award certificates and may also receive special patches for completing at least ten hours as a participant in the program. The program provides these participants the opportunity to explore and learn about their national parks through educational and volunteer service projects that protect our natural and cultural resources. The Scout Ranger Program extends the connection beyond traditional recreational activities, such as hiking, camping, and respect for nature by encouraging scouts to learn what makes a national park important, not only to the country, but to themselves, and to their communities.
Cynthia Curley-Obrero, the Webelos Den Leader for the Atlanta Area Council’s Pack 540, shared her thoughts on how increasing awareness of this program would foster a greater sense of community between Scouts, Cub Scouts, and their public lands. She noted that, “The National Park Service supports much of what Scouting encourages: respect and appreciation for our natural environment and the animals who live there; an understanding of our past; how we fit into the present; what we want in our future; and support for our communities, large and small. The Scout Ranger Program encourages each individual to take initiative to learn about their surroundings and then act upon what they have learned in a positive way. It’s a perfect complement to the Scouting experience."
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
