First Annual NPS Scout Day Held

Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Lynn Scarlett and NPS Deputy Director Lindi Harvey launched the first National Park Service National Scout Day at Prince William Forest Park on September 27th.  National Scout Day, a contributing National Public Lands Day event, centered on the theme of “Discovery of self, site and service.”  One-hundred and eight-two Girl Scout troops and 64 Boy Scout troops took part in the day’s activities in national parks throughout the country.

The Scouts were encouraged to discover themselves by learning more about what they liked to do and what is important to them. They were encouraged to discover a new place and all it had to offer and to make a personal connection to it.  In connecting the Scouts core value of service with the NPS’s major volunteer initiative, all of the Scouts were encouraged to discover how they could help to make a difference in their world.

The Scouts completed more than 145 service projects at National Park Service sites throughout the land from Adams National Historical Park in Massachusetts to War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam.   At Prince William Forest Park in Virginia, the park honored the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) on its diamond anniversary, hosting several members from the original crew.  The old CCC members and the young scouts planted a tree together in honor of the event. The NPS developed a special recognition certificate for the Scouts participating in the  day’s activities and also cross promoted other NPS programs like the Resource Stewardship Scout Ranger Program and the Junior Ranger Program. On National Public Lands Day each Scout earned the National Scout Day certificate and other rewards from the Scout programs.

This great day happened as a result of the partnership between the Boy Scouts of America, Girls Scouts of the United States of America, the National Park Service and the National Environmental Education Foundation.  The program was designed to increase Scout participation in volunteer service on National Public Lands Day and also promoted the importance of stewardship of the national parks. It is the hope of National Park Service and the National Environmental Education Foundation that National Scout Day will become synonymous with National Public Lands Day.