[Philmont]: Read the entire comment before reacting

 
I was having lunch with several professional lobbyist who work
on/for/against Federal Land Management Agencies (BLM, NPS, USFS, F&W). The
subject of the BSA came up and they all started complaining loudly. In fact
I have known most of them for years and this was the loudest any of them had
ever been. They all proceeded to tell me horror stories that an agency had
been involved with a BSA unit. They all agreed the federal land management
agencies at the land manage level hated the BSA. Most stated for some land
units the BSA was the number 1 problem they dealt with. I of course
attempted to defend and was shot down hard and fast. (And guys, I don't
give up to easily, too many trials but I lost fast, in fact I lost
credibility with several of the people for defending the BSA.)

The National Park Service has a website called the morning report. The
morning report publishes the news of the NPS each morning as well as makes
announcements. The NPS morning report today had this.

Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
PVC Potato Cannons Seized from Scout Troop

On the morning of Saturday, October 29th, park employees received reports of
a disturbance from visitors who were camping in the group campsites at
Indian Cove Campground. Protection rangers responded. During the subsequent
investigation, the rangers confiscated seven cannons constructed from PVC
piping which were being used to shoot potatoes into the area of the
campground through the use of a gas propellant. The cannons ranged in size
from two to six feet in length and are defined as destructive devices under
the California penal code. Other miscellaneous PVC piping, which was used
for making the potato cannons, and three five-pound bags of potatoes were
also confiscated. A local California Boy Scout troop occupied the site. The
site permit holder was issued a violation notice for possession/use of
weapons. The Scoutmaster and group leaders were given multiple verbal
warnings for disorderly conduct, sanitation/refuse violations, food storage
violations, and miscellaneous traffic offenses. [Submitted by Judy
Bartzatt, Chief Ranger]

http://data2.itc.nps.gov/morningreport/

Normally if someone derides the BSA I argue but don't worry. This group has
me worried. By that I mean, these are professionals. All have testified
before congress several times. All have the ability to pick up the phone and
have any person in at any level in a land management agency answer. These
are important people. Not one of them was willing to argue on behalf of the
BSA because they knew the land managers would not be receptive. None even
had their kids in a scout program because of their feelings about the BSA
because of Federal land managers. Not because of the religious or other
issues, only because in their experience the BSA is a very destructive and
out of control organization.

This conversation occurred 3 weeks ago and I have been mulling it since. The
NPS morning report brought this back to the forefront and after 3 weeks, I
have no great answers.

So I turn to you.

We need to do a better job. I understand how hard it is. (My father was a DE
while I was growing up and I was one also for a couple of years.) I
understand how hard it is to recruit volunteers and then get them trained.

At the same time, the federal land management agencies are restricting
access to federal lands. You probably have not seen it, but that is why the
group of lobbyist and I get together every couple of weeks (One of the
lobbyist and I have been working on this for ten years). In the past summer
USFS denied access to college programs in Oregon, North and South Carolina.
By this I mean any organized credit or non-credit group from any state
college in these areas cannot get on federal land without being issued a
ticket or being arrested. At Yellowstone and Rocky Mtn National Park if a
university van pulls up to the gate they are told to turn around and denied
access.

Believe me when I say, if the legal issues that the land managers employ to
stop university programs existed they would use them against BSA units.

So what can we do.

I've been thinking about additional LNT segments. (Every land management
agency is a signor on LNT and has someone on the LNT board of directors. It
is a big issue for them.) Another training program (what a mess.)

You guys have any ideas.

Jim

James H. Moss, JD, Editor
Outdoor Recreation & Fitness Law Review:
http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/law_review/index.html
The Outdoor Recreation & Fitness Law Reviews are publications for members of

the Outdoor Recreation, Adventure Travel, Hospitality and Fitness Industry.
For more information email me at: lawreview@snewsnet.com

Outdoor Law Specific Email: outdoor.law@gmail.com
Fitness Law Specific Email: fitness.law@gmail.com

Instructor: Ski Area Operations, Ski Area Risk Management Course Colorado
Mountain College
Email: jmoss@coloradomtn.edu
http://www.coloradomtn.edu/programs/sao/home.html

Adjunct Professor: The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism,
University of Utah
Outdoor Recreation Risk Management, Insurance and Law
http://www.health.Utah.edu/prt/ Info: outdoor.law@gmail.com

PO Box 16743
Golden, CO 80402
303-807-2275
Personal Email: jhmoss@gmail.com

-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Fri Nov 11 15:43:14 2005