Our 229 acres of shallow lake, swamp, riparian areas, field, forest, 6 miles of trails and modern nature center, provide the perfect setting for learning and badge-related activities.

General Program Information

*All scout workshops are open to scouts from any troop or pack.
*Times:
10:30am-3:00pm . Jr. Girls (except "Sky Watch") and Webelos
10:30am-2:30pm . Brownies and Cub Scouts
*Please bring your own lunch and wear shoes and clothes appropriate for outside activities and the weather that day.
*The fee is $10 per scout or child except for "Parks Matter" (which is $15), and includes the scout badge, pin, etc.
* Registration and pre-payment is required.

Listed below are Scout nature programs for 2010. First are the Boy Scout programs, then the Girl Scout programs.

Cub Scout

Weather" - Bear Elective
March 13
One of the best ways to prepare for a day is to know the weather forecast. Here scouts will learn not only how to read a thermometer, wind vane and barometer, but will make their own instruments. This program also features understanding air pressure and precipitation, and we'll go outside to log the day's weather.

Sharing Your World with Wildlife" - Bear Achievement
December 11
This workshop focuses on the need for us all to learn to live in harmony with wildlife and our environment and to acknowledge the purpose each living creature brings to life on this planet.
Using hands-on activities, you will gain an understanding and appreciation of the "web of life" and how we, as human beings, fit into it.

Scouts will be given some ideas and practical ways to help our wildlife that is, each day, losing vital habitat.

A wildlife walk through Wildwood Lake Sanctuary will conclude the program.

Webelos

Naturalist Badge
May 15* & May 16*
A naturalist studies plants and animals in the wild. Before you earn your Naturalist badge and go into any wild area, you must learn skills and knowledge that protect not only the environment and keep you safe but also enhance your ability to see, hear, and watch wildlife. This program includes activities to hone your wildlife watching skills; identify the poisonous plants and venomous reptiles of PA; explore the mystery of bird migration; learn about some of the mammals that call PA their home; and examine some extraordinary talents that animals have developed to survive. A hike in The Sanctuary will give each participant the chance to use the new "naturalist" skills they learned this day.

Forester Badge
September 11* & September 12*
Nature's monuments - we call them trees - are a necessary and precious resource. Participants will discover the many products manufactured from wood that we use every day, and the important role trees play in the delicate balance of our environment. How tall is the tallest tree? How round is the largest tree? What can we learn about local history from trees? Is fire ever good for a tree? These are among the topics this workshop covers. We'll learn how to identify some of Pennsylvania's native trees and plants and then take a walk in The Sanctuary to put your new skills to the test.

*These one-day Webelos programs feature activities to meet requirements for each badge.

Brownies

Senses Try-It
January 23
Our five senses help us navigate through life's daily experiences. They help us to do tasks more quickly, with greater enjoyment, and many times safer than we realize. While using fun activities, the scouts will learn how to fine-tune their senses and become more aware of the world around them. A nature "through-our-senses" walk is included

Water Everywhere Try-It
April 17
Water is probably our most important resource. Our bodies are made up mostly of water and we can't live without it. Scouts will learn conservation techniques and how to be responsible consumers. You'll make a water snooper and get wet while exploring for the creatures living in Wildwood's lake and streams. A nature walk is included.

Watching Wildlife Try-It
October 16
Scouts will discover which animals live in our neighborhoods and surrounding areas and learn how to find them. Fun activities to "tune-up" your wildlife hearing and sighting skills, along with exploring the complexity of animal language. The day includes a wildlife walk in The Sanctuary

Animals Try-It
November 13
Scouts will learn the responsibilities that are relevant to having a pet and how to choose the right one for their family. You will learn how some animals communicate and we'll explore the many ways to safely enjoy wildlife. The emphasis is on learning respect for all creatures. Includes a wildlife walk in The Sanctuary.

Juniors

Sky Search Badge
January 21 (6PM to 9PM)
Scouts will become familiar with the winter sky and its constellations. You'll learn about the Big Dipper, Orion, the North Star and our moon and solar system. During this program the scouts will get a chance to view the night sky (weather permitting) and also learn about the myths and legends surrounding the winter constellations.

Eco-Action Badge
February 20
Scouts will discover how much of our natural resources we all consume in our everyday lives. You'll take with you practical and personal ways to utilize our Earth's gifts in environmentally friendly ways and learn the impact they have on wildlife and their surrounding habitats. Ideas for individual, group and community environmental projects will be explored. A "we all live down stream" walk will be included.

Wildlife Badge
March 27 & March 28
This popular program provides activities to learn about animal groups and characteristics, endangered species, bird identification, PA's poisonous plants and venomous reptiles, how to use binoculars, and more. This one-day program meets the requirements for this badge (same program each day) and concludes with a wildlife walk.

Finding Your Way Badge
September 25
Maps tell us so much more than just which road to take. Scouts will become familiar with different types of maps. With structured and fun activities, scouts learn how to follow and give directions using road and street maps. You'll learn to use a compass and trail markers, create your own mini-trail, and navigate a course using a compass.

Cadette

Parks Matter
October 30
This new addition to the Studio 2B Focus series addresses the need to protect and preserve our national parks as well as the need to care for the things we hold dear in our own communities. The hands-on activities in this program will give scouts the tools to make a personal difference in their own environment. This program is $15 and includes the charm.