Learn How You Can Help Spruce Up Our Beautiful Lands!

Partners: Girl Scouts

Linking Girls to the Land Through National Public Lands Day September 27th, 2008


EARN THE GET WITH THE LAND PATCH!

Brownie Girl Scouts, Junior Girl Scouts, and Girl Scouts 11-17 may be eligible to earn the Get With the Land patch by volunteering on National Public Lands Day. Girl Scouts can earn the patch by working with a federal natural resource agency professional in a joint volunteer project such as NPLD.

You will have an opportunity to:

  • Work side by side with an environmental expert;
  • Learn about careers in the out-of doors;
  • Earn Girl Scout Age-Level Awards related to the environment
  • And enjoy a hands-on activity that improves America's public lands.

To determine if your Girl Scout troop is eligible to earn the patch,
Download Patch Criteria Sheet. NPLD does not supply the patches; rather, Girl Scout troop leaders can order them directly from the Girl Scouts headquarters.
Download Patch Order Form

The patch is part of the Linking Girls to the Land Program. To learn more about this new patch check out the website www.epa.gov/adopt/linkinggirls/proglinks.html

GOING FOR THE GOLD

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout 15-17 years may earn. For many, the leadership skills, organizational skills and sense of community and commitment that come from "going for the gold" cement the foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship. Some ideas for environmental projects to go for the gold:

  • Start a volunteer group to bring back native vegetation in a nature preserve
  • Organize your community to add plantings in parking medians and window boxes
  • Create a bat education program for a nature center, including travel box and a short talk.

For more information see www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_central/insignia/highest_awards/gold_award.asp

WHAT DID GIRL SCOUTS DO FOR NPLD 2007?

In 2007, about 3,900 Girl Scouts from 194 troops volunteered on public land sites across the country during NPLD. In addition, many other NPLD sites reported that Girl Scouts volunteered on that day.

Check out how Girl Scouts helped improve their public lands last year on the Girl Scout's Studio 2B Website!

Click here to view a complete list of 2007 Girl Scout work sites

Here's what some Girl Scouts did on September 29, 2007:

Madeline Tucker
  • Over 90 Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital collected trash from around the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC for National Public Lands Day 2007. After collecting and recycling the trash, they talked with staff from the National Park Service, Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service about careers, conservation, invasive species, and about the importance of recycling. Teen girls led fun activities to help the girls learn the Leave No Trace principles.
  • Seventy Girl Scouts from the Heart of Florida Council worked for 4 hours at City of Lakeland Plant Nursery/Oakhill Cemetery to transplant hundreds of seedlings and trees, mix soil, weed the gardens and clean the nursery greenhouse areas.
  • Troop 1954 of the Heart of Central California Council collected 3,000 pounds of trash from various streams, creeks and rivers in the Sacramento area.
  • Troop 10084 from Houston helped construct a new trail in the woods at Huntsville State Park in Texas. The girls worked for 5 hours to rake brush, pull weeds and cut limbs.
  • Over 70 girls from 10 troops of Girl Scout Service Unit 31-5 of the Council of the Nation's Capitol (GSCNC) removed invasive weeds- Japanese Stiltgrass from Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, Maryland.
  • At Girl Scout Camp Birdsall Edey in Pennsylvania, Troops 198 and 308 of the Penn Lakes Council planted 25 of the trees given to the Council for the 95th Anniversary. The scouts partnered with the Allegheny National Forest to complete the project. They also pulled the invasive weeds Garlic Mustard and Dame's Rocket. All collected a bag of acorns and proceeded to plant them with their heels along the trail to the river with the hopes that some will sprout and grow for wildlife.
  • At Ostego Lake State Park in Gaylord, Michigan, 19 Girl Scouts from Troop 2235 of the Mitten Bay Council in Saginaw, Michigan volunteered to complete multiple work projects. Brownies planted tulips around the state park signs, and juniors helped build and plant a tree nursery and a bed for seedlings. In addition, the girls worked for more than 10 hours to plan the event.
  • Troop 352 (Beaver and Lawrence County Council, PA) adopted their school grounds (Shenango School District Property) and outdoor science trail for a National Public Lands Day project. The girls cleaned overgrowth on trail and picked up trash left behind.
  • Multiple troops from Fergus Falls, Minnesota collected native seeds and removed non-native plants at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center in Minnesota.
  • Girl Scouts from Troop 335 (Cassville, Missouri) work at Cassville City Park for National Public Lands Day. Girls cleaned up the creek, gardened in flower beds, repaired the park dugout and helped refurbish a gazebo.

Pam PolanczykPHOTO CONTEST

Help us to share how Girl Scouts were "Linked to the Land" through NPLD! Each year, all NPLD volunteers are invited to enter the Volunteer Photo Contest. This includes a special category for Girl Scout photographers under the age of 18.
To learn about the Photo Contest, Click Here.

Access the Girl Scout Photo Release Form Here


CONTACT US

The National Public Lands Day staff thanks you for your interest and your participation in NPLD. We want to help you in any way possible. We welcome your suggestions and questions. Please contact us!

National Public Lands Day Program
National Environmental Education Foundation
4301 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 160
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202/261-6478
FAX: 202/261-6464
npld@neefusa.org

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