Hornaday Award/Badge Projects

[alex gregory]

I have a scout asking me about the Hornaday Award. The merit badge and rank requirements are easy enough. It is the project requirement that I need help explaining. So far all I see are the project categories and that the project should take about 18 months to complete.

[Quailman]

One thing that might not be mentioned - a project may double as an Eagle project and Hornaday conservation project. They require different write-ups. Also, one of the projects (if doing three or four for the silver or bronze medal) may be done on BSA property, unlike an Eagle project.

You don't live in Chimney Swift breeding range, but some who read this might. I know of at least one chimney swift tower that has been built for both eagle and hornaday projects.

In our area, Chinese Tallow and other invasive species have become real problems. Removing invasive species and replacing with native plants has been done.

Here's a list of projects that have been done in my council. Several of them even have links to the write-ups that were submitted.

There's also an explanation and examples of projects along with what questions should be addressed in the write-up in my council's Hornaday Advisor Training package.

[FieldSports]

Think Eagle scout project level or better. What I have read, is there are no definitions of what they want. I have seen quotes of "projects that make a difference". You generally will not get approval of a project as "yes that will count" beforehand. They have turned down completed projects. However, if you fall short on the number, they do allow you to do another.

I was told my a National person, that "the project should be published in the newspaper or somewhere" and "Plublicity matters".

[alex gregory]

Quailman, thanks a lot. The link really helps!

If I understand correctly, the idea is to develop a project and conduct a study over time (ideally at least 18 months).

[Quailman]

Remember too that the Badge is a local (council) award, while the medals are awarded by national. You might have better luck with "that will probably qualify" if you consult whoever willbe evaluating it in your council.

[Quailman]

I think the 18 month timframe is largely so people don't think they can wait until the last minute. There are MBs to be earned, and most if not all may have been done before a scout or venturer decides to do any projects. Something like storm sewer stenciling would not take as long. My son wants to do that as an Eagle-Hornaday project. The actual work will be done over two weekends, but he's researching what path the runoff in our neighborhood takes to get to Galveston Bay and what pollution point sources there are in our immediate drainage area. Then he's going to write an article for our homeowner's newsletter and local newspaper. Those are for the Hornaday award - not the Eagle project. All in, from concept to sign-off, it shouldn't be more than six months, including stalling. Of course, he earned his first of the required merit badges about four years ago.

[divermann]

I've been trying to promote this Award in our Council for the past year, as only one has been awarded as far as I can tell. This thread has been very helpful, thanks for the info!

[alex gregory]

Remember too that the Badge is a local (council) award, while the medals are awarded by national. You might have better luck with "that will probably qualify" if you consult whoever willbe evaluating it in your council.

Good point. Does the Scout basically get a green light from the Council Hornaday Advisor before starting?

[alex gregory]

I think the 18 month timframe is largely so people don't think they can wait until the last minute. There are MBs to be earned, and most if not all may have been done before a scout or venturer decides to do any projects. Something like storm sewer stenciling would not take as long.

So the project does not require examination and reporting results over time?

I thought the 18 month time frame was to allow for scientific study and reporting of results. For example, repair a riparian area by clean up and replanting, check up on the project over 18 months, and report results such as reforestation with native species, erosion control, lower stream temperatures, increased wildlife, bla bla bla.

[Quailman]

I think it depends on the project. If you're developing a neighborhood recyling program, you'd need to track results over a period of time to see that people are aware of it and utilizing it. You'd also have to show that it can continue without your involvement.

I know that someone planted cordgrass (chord grass?) in Galveston Bay as a tidal marsh restoration project and monitored it over a year or more.

[RWSmith]

There's a GREAT website for the Hornadays at http://www.conservationbsa.com/

[Quailman]

That's my council's conservation committee website (and the source of two of my links in my post above). I understand that not all councils have a conservation chairman or conservation committee. I feel lucky to be involved in one that does.

[AquilaNegra2]

Quailman, your council must have the RECORD for Hornadays! My son is hoping to recruit a conservation officer from one of the local military bases as an advisor.

Some of the projects recommended look like they require the 18 months, but a lot do not. Some of the things #1 is tossing around are eriosion control in a storm-damaged area, battery collection and disposal through Haz-Mat, weatherproofing a Habitat for Humanity home, and "something" with the local salmon hatchery. Lofty goals. At least it will keep him busy .

[Quailman]

At a conservation committee meeting the other day someone pointed out that Fly Fishing has been added to the list of elective MBs for the Hornaday Award. There are now 21 instead of 20. If I knew how to update the wiki page I would.

[Quailman]

I was privileged to attend a young man's Eagle Court of Honor last night. After the oath was administered, the chairman of our conservation committee and I presented him with a Hornaday Badge.

He had done a storm water inlet marking project for his eagle project. It was several months later that someone told him it would qualify for a Hornaday Award. He already had the requisite MBs, so all he had to do was the write-up.

[RWSmith]

At a conservation committee meeting the other day someone pointed out that Fly Fishing has been added to the list of elective MBs for the Hornaday Award. There are now 21 instead of 20. If I knew how to update the wiki page I would.

Can you give me a reference for this update? -- I will (in the meantime) look for it. (Edit: Found it.)

Also, if you want to help on the wiki, send me an e-mail w/ your questions.

[lambeausam]

My middle son is a sixth grader, but is working on a plan to earn the award. We are fortunate to have a counselor from the council that is employed by the local nature center. His plan is to finish the necessary badges (actually he wants to do all of the badges from both lists) before he starts on the projects. He already has a list of ideas started, so it will be interesting to see which of these evolve into the projects. I love the fact that each of my sons loves nature as much as I do. The youngest just crossed over and has started reading about the Hornaday program.

For those of you that have been involved in projects before...have you seen projects integrated successfully? One of his ideas involves more than one conservation concept.

[jr56]

My son was awarded the Bronze Hornaday award. Yes, there are instances where projects may fall into more than one area, but there is usually a primary area that it fits into best. Have your conservation advisor guide you in doing the write ups for the various projects.
Good luck.

[T162Scoutmaster]

There is a scout in our Troop that is interested in the Hornaday Bronze award (medal?).
I am trying to learn about the requirements as I try to help this young man navigate through the process.

He has a few ideas about what he wants to do, but he was asking about the Hornaday project counting towards the Eagle scout project. After looking at the requirements for the Hornaday award, it seems to me that an Eagle Scout project can count towards one of the Hornaday projects, but not necessarily the other way around. (Hornaday may not necessarily count towards an Eagle project.)

At face value, this makes sense, since the Eagle project has it's own unique approval process, when compared to the Hornaday approval.

I would like to inform the scout that if wants to use a project idea that will count for both, to write up the plan as an Eagle project, and then consult with a Hornaday advisor to determine if the project can also be used towards the Hornaday award.

Is this the correct approach?

[PaulSWolf]

yes. That's definitely the correct approach