Boy Scouts logged, sold thousands of acres of prime lands

[ensho]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/specials/scoutslogging/397864_loggingmain29.html


Profit trumps preservation for Boy Scout councils nationwide
They logged, sold thousands of acres of prime lands


For nearly a century, the Boy Scouts have worn a self-adorned badge as campsite conservationists and good stewards of the land.

"The Boy Scouts were green before it was cool to be green," said the organization's national spokesman, Deron Smith.

But for decades, local Boy Scouts of America administrations across the country have clearcut or otherwise conducted high-impact logging on tens of thousands of acres of forestland, often for the love of a different kind of green: cash.

A Hearst Newspapers investigation has found dozens of cases over the past 20 years of local Boy Scout councils logging or selling prime woodlands to big timber interests, developers or others, turning quick money and often doing so instead of seeking ways to preserve such lands.

"In public, they say they want to teach kids about saving the environment," said Jane Childers, a longtime Scouting volunteer in Washington who has fought against Scouts' logging. "But in reality, it's all about the money."
-snip-
----------------------------


the Boy Scouts are dirty in more ways then one

(I don't mean the boys themselves)

[FreakinDJ]

1. Are they talking about "Christmas Trees"

[Wickerman]

2. Doesn't look like Christmas tree sales to me

[Mari333]

3. My sons were in the scouts

back before they were overrun by republicans as a paramilitary organization for kids. Years later, the scoutmaster of that area was arrested for pedophilia...
ever since they started their moral wars in the boy scouts, they have lost tons of new recruits..so they did things the republican way..they threw out their other 'morals' and pillaged for money..by destroying the forests..its the republican way.

[jody]

4. I've been involved in Scouting for several decades and your statement "overrun by republicans as a

paramilitary organization for kids" is not true.

[Mari333]

5. their 2000 SC decision to exempt gay kids and atheist kids

was what led me to believe that they are uber right wing now.
maybe they have changed that decision?

[jody]

6. Many private organizations discriminate in some way, e.g. Free Republic and Democratic Underground.

I fail to see how BSA policies on gay and atheist issues means it is "overrun by republicans as a paramilitary organization for kids."

[Mari333]

7. then i will call it an ultra right wing religious group

that discriminates against gay kids and atheist kids. too bad those kids are being taught homophobia.

[jody]

8. I'm curious, how do you describe we DUers? n/t

[Mari333]

9. well I would like to hope DU does not ban gay people and atheists..

maybe thats why I am a part of it rather then part of an organization that does.

[jody]

10. Sidestep the question. Have a good day and goodbye. n/t

[Mari333]

11. buh bye. :)

[ColbertWatcher]

14. Excuse me, if you don't mind my butting in, but ...

... DU doesn't get federal government monies, while expecting to discriminate.

That's the difference.

[jody]

17. I see no reason to excuse you for butting in. n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

24. Oh! Thank you then for your thoughtful response! n/t

[tbyg52]

21. *I* appreciate your "butting in"

:hi:

[ColbertWatcher]

22. Thank you. n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

15. So you are pro discrimination. It is that simple

You think people should be treated differently for who they are. If you will abide that sort of bigotry, you will abide it all. You play with people who discriminate aganst me and my family. They spread propaganda and lies. The company one keeps.

[jody]

18. And you are also pro discrimination. What does that prove? n/t

[SoCalDem]

12. When I was a kid, scouting was about camping, hiking

& earning merit badges.. a much simpler time...

My last girl scout troop was a big bore though because our leader only became a leader because her daughter, Charmaine was "allergic" to about everything on the planet, so we did mostly indoor stuff, and soon the troop dwindled to nothing, and I quit too.. Making pot holders & weaving raffia baskets got pretty old..

[Mari333]

13. The Girl Scouts are pretty cool

and not discriminatory. Maybe they have gotten less boring..:)

[vanderBeth]

16. A lot of troops have become like that. Too indoorsy. :(

I am large fan of the scouting movement and I would think it would be nice to have a national effort to get kids more involved in it, or the one of yesteryear.

(The boy scouts still discriminates because the organization was founded with strong religious ties and this still has a large presence in the organization. It would be nice to have secular boy scouting.)

[Cid_B]

19. Story is vague...

Also I'd mention that logging is a good thing. What is your house made out of?

[Blue_Tires]

26. not so good when the BSA are doing it

in theory they are supposed to treat forest lands as these sacred, vast outdoor classrooms to learn about life and wildlife...instead they are selling out their beliefs to developers for a sleazy buck...it's like nuns on the corner turning tricks, or police selling guns and ammo to gangbangers...

[Cid_B]

31. As I said.. story is vague...

There is nothing wrong with logging in and of itself. As long as the area is replenished properly then more power to em.

[Gold Metal Flake]

20. How did the Boy Scouts get control of all of this land?

What did they do with the timber profits?

[ColbertWatcher]

23. Probably donated it to the "Support Prop. 8" campaign. n/t

[ensho]

30. a conservationist gave it to them to camp on and learn about nature

his family said he would be very upset at what the Boy Scouts did.

[underpants]

25. Hearst Newspapers are focusing on logging? really?

that aside we all know that the boy scouts are a paramiltary operation


WOLVERINES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jody]

29. Barack Obama, Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America?

If President-Elect Obama follows tradition and becomes Honorary President of BSA he will help the organization celebrate its 100th Anniversary and address the crowd at the 2010 National Boy Scout Jamboree.

I know thefollowing groups have asked Obama to decline but does anyone honestly believe Obama will not accept the honor?

American Atheists
American Ethical Union
American Humanist Association
Atheist Alliance International
Atheist Nexus
Camp Quest
Center for Atheism
Center for Inquiry
Center for Naturalism
Council for Secular Humanism
Freedom From Religion Foundation
FreeThoughtAction
Humanists
Institute for Humanist Studies
International Federation for Secular & Humanistic Judaism
Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers
Secular Coalition for America
Secular Student Alliance
Society for Humanistic Judaism

[philk17088]

27. Details

Our local boy scout camp selectively logged their land. Sold the timber to maintain the camp. It was done correctly and the forest around the camp is actually healthier.

That article seems to be hyped pretty hard without all the particulars.

[jody]

28. "Boy Scouts for Barack Obama", link below.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/BoyScoutsforBarackObama