Loggins at Scout Camps

[NWScouter]

Big story about logging in scout camps around the country: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/specials/scoutslogging/

 

Highly critical

[NWScouter]

Can anyone change this topic title to Logging at Scout Camps?

[John-in-KC]

???

 

My youth camp (Whitsett) was in the middle of a National Forest. My current reservation (H Roe Bartle) is in Corps of Engineers managed land. There's more than a little need for prudent forest management, to include some timber cutting. I don't see the problem here.

[Eagle92]

Sometimes it's a necessary evil. My old camp lost a lot of tree due to logging. Problem was there was a bug infestation and to save any trees, they had to cut a bunch. Something like a 30' or 40' distance between trees. The state forestry service actually came in and dig the marking, colorcoding which trees were safe and whiche had infestations. As for those trees with infestations, it was more like a 100' radius. fortunately ALL the money went back into the camp. new waterfront, a new building or two with more on the way, etc.

[MissingArrow]

The National Council issued a response to the story:

http://scouting.org/response.aspx

 

They also released a memorandum that they sent to the participating reporters:

http://scouting.org/filestore/pdf/QAHearstmemoedited1-27-09.pdf

 

If you are bored read the comments on the Seattle PI story, some are very comical. Seems quite a few folks are not big fans of the PI's "investigative journalism".

[shortridge]

Interesting approach by National to release the questions and answers. Smart, too, getting the whole context of the questions out there.

 

Haven't yet had a chance to read the entirety of the newspaper reports, but I'm looking forward to doing so.

[Nike]

San Francisco Chronicle jumped on the bandwagon.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/29/MNAK15FFTA.DTL

 

The comments are "just precious."

 

 

[shortridge]

"I butchered the property," said Bruce Faller, a district commissioner for a Vermont scout council, describing a 2006 logging operation he ordered for financial reasons. "It was old, big beautiful wood ... I wouldn't have done it if there (were) any other way."

 

I can't help but think that this guy's title was butchered. Under what circumstances would a district commissioner be in charge of property?

[John-in-KC]

shortridge: That might have been the shirt the man was wearing. He might have been a volunteer Ranger, he might have been chairman of the Council Properties Committee.

 

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I'll admit: Logging one of our properties simply to raise money is, to my way of thinking, dumb.

 

Logging, as part of prudent and professional forest management, is a wholly different story. I trust and pray our Councils are doing this latter. If it means some old growth wood comes down because it's diseased/infested and the rot will extend if untreated, then so be it.

[stricklat]

I know that most of what the Seatle paper states is bad journalism. In my local council, we too have been forced to log land at our summer camps. Because of forest fires and safety issues due to dead trees and gypsy moth infestations. Our local paper and news stations tried to run a biased story about the council being in financial straights. Where I live in the Pacific Northwest our councils are fiscally sound. In some cases, I am sure, logging has had to occur becuase of fiscal irresponsibility. But i do not know of one. We are taught that to be good stewards of the land. What would you rather do: cutt down 40 acres to reinforce safety issues and preserve future trees, or allow 400 acres+ to die because of lack of quick ecological treauge?

[Twocubdad]

Dang! I thought someone was going to have Kenny Loggins at their summer camp. I love the old acoustic stuff with Jim Messina, not so much the later movie-soundtrack stuff.

 

Our council has had an extensive forest resource management program. We cut timber from time to time. Unfortunately, in recent years we've had to clear cut some areas trying to control pine beetles. They also selectively cut hardwoods to make room for constuction or when trees appear to be a safety issue.

 

Later this year the camp will host a regional conference on timber management and will be recognized for it forest management program. Think that will make the papers?

[shortridge]

Are you kidding? "Top Gun" provided the soundtrack to about two years of the time I spent on camp staff.

 

Later this year the camp will host a regional conference on timber management and will be recognized for it forest management program. Think that will make the papers?

 

[begin rant-like observations]

 

If no one tells the papers, it won't!

 

I'm a journalist by profession, and I'm perpetually amazed by how many people - savvy people, smart people - seem to think that we are omniscient, supposed to know about events even without being told. Or better yet, that we can drop what we're doing and head over to cover their event with an hour's notice.

 

So please make sure you suggest to your council's marketing director that he or she drop a few bugs in the local papers' ears, well in advance of the event ... make sure there are good visuals, not just people sitting around a table talking ... provide the big-picture background of "what this means" ... and communicate why non-Scouts should care.

 

Today, the environment is a key issue for many people and reporters. If your marketing folks can pitch the story in a way that goes beyond "We're getting an award from XYZ association" to "We've had Scouts, adult volunteers, experts out working on this conservation effort, we've saved 2,000 trees from beetle infestations" or whatever ... it'll be a much better story.

 

Better yet ... take your local reporter out for a cup of coffee and explain to them what it means yourself. Like Scouters, most of us live on the stuff - we won't turn you down.

[Twocubdad]

Feel free to rant anytime, shortridge, no problem here.

 

But as a recovered newspaper reporter myself, I stand by my story. After working at two local papers and one metro daily, I know how the game's played. I've worked the other side of the street, too, as the p.r. director for an ad agency and corporate communications director in the private sector.

 

I wish it were as easy as you describe. The local paper here has consistently been resistent to doing articles on Scouts. Not edgy or controversial enough, unless, of course, it's a negative story. But don't get me started there.....

[shortridge]

Awesome. I bow down to you - your experience by far exceeds mine!

 

Good to hear you're engaging the local media. I'm constantly amazed in my area how few units reach out. There's one troop in the area that writes a regular column for a weekly paper, and that's it, aside from an occasional submitted grip & grin photo.

 

I went out and covered the local Klondike last year, and had a great time and great story. But I had to pursue it on my own - it never occurred to the district to invite a reporter along. Those types of stories are fun and easy for both sides.