{"id":5334,"date":"2020-11-14T09:00:04","date_gmt":"2020-11-14T15:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totscouting.org\/scouts-can-help-the-environment-through-the-new-bsa-distinguished-conservation-service-awards-program\/"},"modified":"2020-11-14T09:00:04","modified_gmt":"2020-11-14T15:00:04","slug":"scouts-can-help-the-environment-through-the-new-bsa-distinguished-conservation-service-awards-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totscouting.org\/scouts-can-help-the-environment-through-the-new-bsa-distinguished-conservation-service-awards-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Scouts can help the environment through the new BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Awards program"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Scouts have been working to conserve our planet since the organization\u2019s inception. Now, they can be honored for their work through the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Awards program.<\/p>\n

Scouts BSA members, Sea Scouts and Venturers can earn the youth version of these new prestigious awards while adult leaders and other organizations and individuals can be bestowed other versions. The awards<\/a> aim to honor exemplary environmental stewardship and service while encouraging others to strive toward making a difference.<\/p>\n

Project details<\/h2>\n

Earlier this year, the William T. Hornaday Awards, which became a BSA award in the late 1930s, were discontinued and the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Awards program was launched \u2014 a modernized, streamlined program designed to encourage more conservation advocacy and service.<\/p>\n

The conservation service projects required for the award will be just as rigorous as the previous requirements; however, Scouts will need to plan, lead and carry out two conservation service projects, instead of three or four. Just like before, a conservation-focused Eagle Scout project can count for one of them. This streamlined change should embolden Scouts (especially those who have already done a qualifying Eagle Scout project) to go for the award, but more importantly, spark their interest in conservation.<\/p>\n

The impact Scouts can make through the new program can be tremendous. On average, Eagle Scout candidates and the volunteers they lead put in about 140 service hours<\/a> for their projects. The BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Awards require high quality work \u2014 the same level as an Eagle project. With two projects, that\u2019s 280 hours. Last year, 61,353 Scouts earned the Eagle Scout Award. What if some of those Scouts devote their projects to conservation and then do another project for the Distinguished Conservation Service Award? Let\u2019s say, 30,000 Scouts choose to do that. At 140 hours per project, that totals to 8.4 million service hours!<\/p>\n

Another streamlined change comes from the review process. Before, a national committee reviewed Scouts\u2019 projects. With the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Awards program, the council\u2019s conservation committee reviews the work.<\/p>\n

Any service project cannot count toward the award. It needs to help the environment, not people. The projects must focus on one of the following categories:<\/p>\n