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Nature Study for Scout Leaders – Introduction

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The outdoors is par excellence the school for observation and for realizing the wonders of a wondrous universe. It opens to the mind appreciation of the beautiful that lies before it day by day…

The study of nature brings into a harmonious whole the question of the infinite, the historic, and the microscopic as part of the Great Creator’s work.

Baden Powell

Going into the world of nature without knowing the names of the plants and animals that call it home is like walking into a room of people whom you have never met. Once we learn a name or two of what grows in the forest or people in that room we begin to feel more at home. Curiosity prompts us further and we learn about the relationships, the habits and the hierarchies and soon begin to understand our place in the larger scheme of things.

Nature study is a crucial element of Scouting not simply because a Scout learns the names of  things or gains an academic understanding of nature.  Scouts learn these things towards the greater aim of appreciating their spiritual and philosophical significance.

Natural history is the observational study of plants and animals. It is a more experiential than experimental branch of science ; an umbrella of many specialty sciences. A person who studies natural history is known as a naturalist or “natural historian”.

You need not become a highly trained expert to appreciate the natural world. Getting started is easy and once you begin to learn a little here and there it will become a lifelong pursuit. I began with learning the natural history behind Scout rank requirements and followed my curiosity from there.

Over the next few weeks every Wednesday I’ll publish an overview of several different branches of natural history resources for Scout leaders. A basic tool kit is helpful as you prepare to get out and study;

1. Optics
Camera – any simple digital camera  is an essential naturalist’s tool. As Scouts we observe the leave no trace principle of leaving what you find so taking pictures is a much more permanent, manageable and ethical way to develop a natural history collection.
I own a Panasonic Lumix SZ5 (the newer model is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8). The camera is compact, has a great zoom and macro features, and is simple to use.
Binoculars or a Monocular – I have an inexpensive binocular by Barska I got on sale a few years back. A similar on is the Barska Blackhawk 12×25 Waterproof Compact Binocular. Paying a bit extra for waterproof binoculars is worth it but you needn’t spend more than 20-30 bucks for a very usable pair.
Binoculars are identified by two numbers (in the case of the Barska’s 12×25 read ’12 by 25′) the first number is the magnifying strength. Generally you’ll find compact binoculars are 8, 10 0r 12X. I am happy with 10 or 12, any higher magnification makes spotting a bit more difficult because your field of view is smaller.  The second number is the objective lens in millimeters (the wide end of the binoculars) the larger the objective lens the more light it will gather. I like a 25MM objective, still compact but with good light gathering.
Many less expensive ($8-12) binoculars are  available but they can be frustrating to use because the magnification and objectives are lower and they are not waterproof or particularly well made.  Aim at the $25-30 range and watch for sales.
For backpacking I have an inexpensive monocular (10×21) that weighs a couple of ounces. These are fairly easy to find for $10-12.
Magnifying glass – I have several different magnifying glasses knocking around the house. For the field I recommend a simple jewler’s loupe like this 30x loupe. There are plenty of inexpensive alternatives available.

2. Measuring
Measuring Tape – I like a sewing tape, they are light, they stay stretched out for photos if needed, and they are inexpensive. Singer makes a 96 inch tape measure, (most are 60 inches). Make sure your tape is marked in inches and centimeters.
Six inch ruler – Clear plastic in inches and centimeters.

3. Notebook
The variety of sizes and types are so subjective that I hesitate to be more specific. My two favorites are Rite in the Rain and Moleskine. I have a Rite in the Rain 4 5/8″ x 7″ spiral bound notebook and a number of different Moleskine Pocket Notebooks

 

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  1. That would be a Geiger Mile.

    Ok then. Here it is.

    Many many years ago I had an old Chevy Suburban. Big, old clunky thing. GM 454 engine, 18inch wheels (I know, I had to buy tires for it twice), etc. It held up to 10 people (3,4,3) WITH seatbelts. Pretty quick after I bought it, the A/C failed. I would pile about half of the troop into it and off we would go blasting down some highway on our way to the wilderness. (Later on it was more like 1/4 of the Troop).

    Inevitably, along the way, some younger Scout would ask “how long till we get there?”. The older Scouts would audibly groan 🙂 I would say, “Oh, about 50 miles!”.

    Half hour later. Same Scout asks “how long till we get there?”. Groans all around. I would say, “Oh, about 55 miles to go.”

    Ten minutes later. Same Scout asks “how long till we get there?”. Heavy groans all around. I would say, “Oh, about 60 miles to go.” By now this poor kid is thinking about a mile a minute. Should I contradict the Scoutmaster? Did I really hear what he said with all the conversation and wind blowing all around? Is he nuts?

    I used to do the same thing with time periods. “Oh, about two hours.” Half hour later. Oh, about two and a half hours”, etc.

    Anyway, a Geiger Mile is any length that gets longer and longer the closer that you get to the end and the more and more you ask about it! So if a hike is 6 miles long and you ask the SM three times during the hike how far we are going to hike, the total will be 7.5 miles.

    The Geiger Mile must be implemented exactly the same so that it’s not just tormenting some poor kid and it becomes traditionalized within the unit. All the older Scouts know exactly what is going on and it becomes an observational training device for them to learn future parenting skills 🙂

    Rarely does the Geiger Mile need to be explained. The Scouts who constantly ask “are we there yet?”, “how far is it till we get there?” and “how long until we are there” generally have a personality well suited to the Geiger Mile response. The type of young man who might whine, cry or whimper from a response like this is the kind of kid who won’t ask the question in the first place. Not of the Scoutmaster, anyway. Maybe his mom, but not me.

    The Geiger Mile was so well integrated into my previous Troop, that generally the older Scouts in the vehicle would respond. Usually in turn. Whatever increment the first Scout chose, the other Scouts would respond by adding the same increment. Older Scouts would be disappointed if the Geiger Mile did not make an appearance on a campout somewhere 🙂

    Geiger Miles are, I believe, inversely related to thermal bunnies.

  2. Me:
    25 steps is a chain.
    50 paces is 2 chains.
    1.5 chains is 100ft.
    38 steps is 100ft.
    19 paces is 100ft.
    80 chains is a mile.
    2000 steps is a mile.
    1000 paces is a mile.

    It’s difficult to get an accurate diameter of a tree without a tape.
    I like to show the Scouts how to estimate how much pulp wood or saw timber is around, and for that I need my tape. YMMV.

  3. I don’t carry a measuring tape.

    1.5 inches: distance from the last joint on my thumb to the end

    4 inches: width of my palm

    9 inches: span of my hand

    22 inches: elbow to fingertips

    3 feet: nose to fingertips (arm out to the side)

    6 feet: my stride

    If you carry a Scout Staff, that should be six feet long with notches every foot and the last foot notched in inches. My Dad’s is marked like that.