Arkansas Scout Still Talking About His Awesome MO Experience

More than 500 Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts June 7-14, 2008 help restore a native Missouri dolomite glade ecosystem.

Becky Dees of Bryant, Arkansas said her youngest son Matt is still talking about the "awesome" experience he had June 7-14, 2008 in Taney County near Ava, Mo.

Matt was one of the more than 500 Boy Scouts from across the country who participated in the Boy Scouts' largest national conservation project since World War II and the largest single volunteer project on Mark Twain National Forest.

"When my youngest son got home he said this was the best thing he's ever done in his Boy Scout career," Becky said.

Using bow saws, loppers and chainsaws more than 500 Boy Scout Order of the Arrow Honor Society members known as "Arrowmen" cleared encroaching red cedars from 134 acres of native dolomite glade ecosystem. Glades, mostly treeless natural communities, are in decline in Missouri due to a number of factors including red cedar encroachment, invasive exotic species, overgrazing, fire suppression and commercial and residential development.

Now that the cedars have been cut, the area will be treated in the future with prescribed burning to help limit new cedar encroachment and increase species diversity of native plants and animals such as yellow coneflowers, collared lizards and roadrunners.

Participants included Boy Scout support staff and Mingo Job Corps Center enrollees. Mark Twain and Shawnee National Forest employees provided oversight through an incident management team. The estimated value of the volunteer work is over $542,000.

"We were glad to be a part of this event and are very happy with the results of this first ever partnership project," said Mark Twain National Forest Supervisor David Whittekiend.

"We really appreciate the help of the Arrowmen and our partners at Mingo Job Corps," said Ava District Ranger Jenny Farenbaugh. "This project is proof of how much can be accomplished working together as partners."

Farenbaugh, Timber Management Assistant Darla Rein, (former) Wilderness Ranger Kale Horton and Forest Staff Officer Kris Swanson were instrumental working on the project first proposed to the Boy Scouts in 2004.

"We also appreciate the support of local merchants and businesses including Branson, Springfield, Rogersville, Mansfield, Norwood, Seymour, and Ava," Farenbaugh said. "Taney County Commissioners and Taney County Road Commissioners and road crews played a very significant role improving the Bateman Road into the project site area."