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SAVE OUR AMERICAN RESOURCES
The Longs Peak Council and Project SOAR
"Experiential Environmental Conservation Education"SOAR's Mission
- To encourage scouts of all ages to participate in Community or Conservation Projects.
- Encourage partnership within the Community, etc to construct meaningful long lasting and visual projects.
- Encourage scouts to learn about the endangered species.
- Encourage Scouts to earn the World Conservation Award
- Encourage Scouts to earn the William T. Hornaday Award
SOAR Patch
In order for Scouts and adult leaders to earn each year's SOAR patch they must complete a minimum of three (3) hours of conservation, environmental, or beautification service work. The Fort Robinson Tree Plant is just one example of the many conservation projects Scouts can do in the council. Project work can also be done in their home communities and at the council's five camp properties. Local unit leaders should contact local conservation professionals at parks, forests, wildlife refuges and environmental centers to arrange for suitable projects. Local unit leaders are the approving entity for patch project completion for their Scouts.The cost of the patch is $3.00, and each year's patch is first available at the Fort Robinson Tree Plant in the spring. After this event patches will be available at all Long Peak Council Scout Shops/Trading Posts and summer camp trading posts at Camp Laramie Peak and the Ben Delatour Scout Ranch.
Some of the funds earned from the sale of these patches will go to support conservation programs through the Longs Peak Council's "Conservation Grant Program". In addition, some of the funds are used to support the William T. Hornaday Conservation Award Scholarship awarded annually by the Council Conservation Committee to a Boy Scout or Venturer who has earned the William T. Hornaday Conservation Award.
Project SOAR for 2008
2008 is the 28th year of Project SOAR (Save Our American Resources) in the Longs Peak Council. Again this year two species of concern are featured on the patch: the long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus) and the orangethroat darter (Etheostoma spectabile). Both of these species can be found within the territory of the Longs Peak Council although they are not common.Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
The long-billed curlew is a very large (19 inches long) shorebird with a moderately long neck. Its small head supports a very long decurved bill (up to 26 inches in length). Its coloration is speckled brown on the wings with a lighter brown head and chest. The long-billed curlew breeds on the plains and prairies of Colorado, western Nebraska, and Wyoming where it eats grasshoppers, butterflies, beetles, small amphibians, young of other birds, and crickets. During the winter months when it has returned to the south (Mexico, Texas, California, Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana), it lives on lake and river shores and sandy beaches; and its diet turns to crustaceans, berries, seeds, and mollusks.
Curlews normally lay four olive-brown eggs in a grass-lined nest that is usually located near bushes or shrubs in rocky areas. Both parents help to incubate the nest, and they are known for defending their eggs and young with vigor. After a period of about two or three weeks the female curlew leaves the young to the male who cares for them on his own until they fledge in 32 to 45 days. When migrating, long-billed curlews eat in flocks and fly in formation.
The long-billed curlew is listed as a "species of special concern" in Colorado and Wyoming, and listed as a "species of highest continental concern" by the American Bird Conservancy. The major threats to long-billed curlews are the loss of breeding habitat to agriculture, and the loss of wintering habitat to coastal development.
Orangethroat Darter
Etheostoma spectabile
The orangethroat darter is found in small streams that have a sand or gravel subsurface/ bottom, and they seem to be tolerant of intermittent stream flow. They can also be found along the shorelines of small lakes. They seem to be able to tolerate some stream turbidity but prefer warm, clear, alkaline waters. They range from Ohio to Tennessee, south to Texas, and west to Colorado and Wyoming. In Wyoming they appear only in Lodgepole Creek in the southeastern part of the state, and in Colorado only in the Republican River basin in the northeastern part of the state.
The orangethroat darter is a moderate sized darter (up to 3 inches in length) with two dorsal fins. The first fin is spiny and the second soft-rayed. The back of the darter is tan to olive in color. In breeding males the first dorsal fin is very colorful with first an orange stripe, then a white stripe, and then a blue stripe. Also, the sides become colored with blue-green bars and red blotches. Darters, when disturbed, tend to hide amongst aquatic plant growth and in undercut stream and lake banks.
The orangethroat darter is a "species of special concern" in Colorado and Wyoming, and considered "rare" in Nebraska. Its major threats are depleted water flow from drought, and irrigation; and stream turbidity caused by construction and other development. In addition, some concern exists related to its popularity by collectors who market the fish to stock home aquariums.
History
- The Longs Peak Council has supported SOAR since 1980.
- Conservation Projects
- Over 600 SOAR projects have been done in the Council.
- See pictures from past projects and a list of project ideas.
- SOAR Patches
- Scouts earn individual award patches for doing conservation projects.
- Tree Planting
- Tree planting is a Council tradition.
- SNAGS
- What good is a dead tree?
- Conservation Grants
- This program provides funding assistance for conservation projects, educational efforts, and research.
- Supported Programs
- Many programs have benefited from the funds raised by our SOAR program.
- Program Recognition
- Our SOAR Program has been recognized for its excellence.
For Further Information
|
Terry Dunn
Council Conservation Committee Chair Email: conservation@longspeakbsa.org |
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Last Updated Tuesday, 26-Feb-2008 21:02:43 MST