The Nature / Ecology Department of Camp Thunder, housed at the Kiwannas Center for Environmental Education is pleased to announce that a number of camp improvement opportunities are now available for interested units who want to "Do a Good Turn Daily" while at camp. Ecology conservation opportunities can be done by classes in the Nature / Ecology area such as Soil & Water Conservation, or by a unit as part of the Honor Unit Competition. Troops involved in such projects may wish to consider meeting the requirements for the Camp Hornaday Award or Project S.O.A.R. (Save our American Resources). The Nature / Ecology staff is available for assistance in helping units identify and meet the requirements for these national BSA awards and with providing materials and tools for completing these projects.
Camp Thunder has a wide selection of implements for carrying out these projects. The Nature / Ecology staff in cooperation with Scott Munn, the Camp Commissioner, can obtain most kinds of equipment for these projects on short notice. If your unit is interested in one of the below projects, please notify the Camp Commissioner or the Nature / Ecology Director before you start.
Your unit may also want to carry on a project that is not on the list. You are by no means limited to the below projects, but such special projects will need the prior approval of the camp director.
Thank you for your unit's interest in improving the Eco-System and Environment of Camp. In addition to Summer Camp, the Camp Ranger has a full program of long term and off season camp improvement activities you unit can participate in including the Thunder reforestation project in cooperation with the Georgia Forestry Commission. See Joe Wortham about these needs. Many of the projects below can count for the 1994 Camp Thunder Honor Unit Category of Camp Conservation Projects for 25 points.
1994-95 SITE BY SITE
CONSERVATION PROJECTS
Site 1 Summer Cabins
A. Fix inner site erosion
B. Fix paths going to swimming lake - Ropework projects are also an added plus.
C. Spread Pine Straw around Cabins to stop splash erosion
D. Trails are worn and eroding, need to be overhauled
E. Water draining problem on the left side of Latrines
Site 2 Summer Cabins
A. Cover up Bare Soil in front of cabin with Pine Straw or brush
B. Spread Pine Straw around Cabins to stop splash erosion
C. Mark the road going through site to prevent wear and tear on topsoil.
D. Fix road to site
Site 3 Lakeside Tent Site
A. Fix inner camp erosion
B. Place water diversion at the right side of the Pavilion
C. Repair splash erosion effects
Site 4 Tent Site
A. Fix road to site
B. Fix inner site erosion
C. Create a habitat
D. Fix Underbrush the middle of the site to improve tree stand
Site 5 Tent Site
A. Fix road to site
B. Fix path to showers
C. Fix trench next to road
D. Fix underbrush to improve tree stand
E. Water diversion in front of Riverview site
F. Spread Pine Straw around Cabins to stop splash erosion
Site 6 Tent Site
A. Fix road to site
B. Stop erosion around showers
C. Stop inner camp erosion
Site 7 Winter Cabins
A. Fix path to site
B. Stop erosion from water tower
C. Stop splash erosion
D. Spread Pine Straw around Cabins to stop splash erosion
E. Fix inner site erosion
F. Stop waste of water resources at water tower
G. Trail needs major work
H. Place water diversion on the left trail leading to Howard Lodge
Site 8 Tent Site
A. Fix road to site
B. Stop splash erosion
C. Fix inner site erosion
D. Spread straw around showers & latrines
E. Fix wash out erosion at base of cabins
Site 9 Adorandack Site
A. Fix road to campsite
B. Stop splash erosion around tents & Adorandacks
C. Stop erosion behind campsite
D. Fix path to showers
E. Stop erosion around latrine
F. Back bridge from site needs to be replaced
G. Work needs to be done on second front bridge
H. Fix footpath to site
I. Stop erosion around showers
J. Stop erosion in gully behind site
K. Create habitat for insect eating animals
L. Clean around water heater
M. Remove rock lined paths
N. Fix footpaths in site
O. Water from water tower needs to run into woods, not on road
Site 10 Adorandack Site
A. Fix road to campsite
B. Stop splash erosion around tents & Adorandacks
C. Stop erosion behind campsite
D. Fix path to showers
E. Stop erosion around latrine
F. Fix footpath to site
G. Stop erosion around showers
H. Create habitat for insect eating animals
I. Clean around water heater
J. Fix erosion around Pavilion & Latrine
Site 11 Tent Site
A. Fix road to campsite
B. Stop splash erosion around tents
C. Put stops on trail to Activity Field
D. Remove the rocket that got stuck in the big tree in middle of campsite
E. Create Habitats
CAMP WIDE PROJECTS (Main Camp)
A. Construct and place bird houses & other avarian habitats in camp
B. Clean up Moss Falls
B. Clean up O.A. Indian Council Ring (Restricted to OA Lodge Members)
C. Clean out Algae in both lakes
D. Fix and help improve the Nature Trail
E. Remove extra fire rings in all sites
F. Continue to put up professional routed signs of an informational and directional nature as well as those of an environmental education nature.
G. Place large outdoor forestry signs on road going into camp, donated by the Georgia Forestry Commission
H. Remove dead tree in on Road going to Trading Post
I. Clean out spring behind Council Ring
J. Repair toilet in central showers
K. Improve road to main camp, fill in with rocks
L. Build a Geology Identification Board in the same manner as the Knot Tying Board in Scoutcraft Area.. Also Tree/Leaf Identification, Insect Study Display or other permanent static display boards.
M. Renovate and upgrade paths around council ring
N. Renovate and upgrade paths around swimming lake
O. Cutting a drain from the puddle that has formed as the result of a leak from the water pipe near the beginning of the nature trail so that the water flows into the nearby wooded area.
P. Redeveloping the Paul Bunyan Axe Trail and Parameter Trail from the Kitchen to the camp office (develop in cooperation with the Scoutcraft Department)
Q. Develop an insect/anthropoid identification board.
R. Erosion project at camp entrance driveway.
S. Removing underbrush and downed trees behind the health lodge.
T. Remove any cases where plants & soil are pressed against the wooden exterior walls of our camp buildings to prevent rot.
U. Stop erosion to chapel, do yard work around Chapel and clear brush at shoreline.
V. Restore natural appearance of old chapel site, maintain old chapel trail & bridge. Support the fern habitat now flourishing on the forest floor
W. Assist in development of permanent camp leaf collection board and other nature activities.
X. Participate in Project S.O.A.R. or Trail B.O.S.S. Programs at camp
Y. Plant grass in front of Camp Office
Z. Improve road to boating lake
AA. Improve other camp roads / fire breaks.
BB. Development of improved and cleaner shower facilities
CC. Have Georgia Forestry Service place large roadsign signs leading into camp with Conservation / Forestry themes. These signs can be used as blocks where unauthorized access points have developed on our property.
DD. Channel the standing water from the ditch in front of the Forrest Word Nature Center and set up projects to prevent the erosion now going on along the ditch path
EE. Deepen draining ditch along curve by Scout Oath sign
FF. Read and do Conservation Projects suggested in the new BSA book "Conservation Handbook" and have scouts all get a copy of the Pocket Book "Personal Conservation Guide" and do the projects listed in there.
GG. Help keep the habitat cages in the Nature Lodge clean and assist nature staff in locating food for animals currently residing in the cages.
HH. Place Earth Team posters in all cabin sites
II. Cutting a drain from the puddle that has formed as the result of a leak from the water pipe near the beginning of the nature trail so that the water flows into the nearby wooded area.
JJ. Present programs to Cub Scouts on their event weekends (getting into a Woodsy Owl or Smokey the Bear costume, etc).
KK. Re-landscaping the front of the camp office so that erosion from the road does not wash into the front yard and on to the porch of the facility. Such erosion has already resulted in some structural problems.
LL. Redevelopment of the Paul Bunyan Ax Trail from site 4 / Parking Lot Pavilion to the Upper Lake (develop in cooperation with the Scoutcraft Department). The trail was originally developed during the 1974 Summer Camp by Troop 77 (Dr. Bill Scott), Troop 1 (Randy Piland) & Troop 4 (Carl Hodnett).
MM. Assist Nature Director Chuck Melton in collating the boxes of Conservation Literature that Big Ed gave him for his facility. Chuck currently has all of the boxers stacked into a corner of his building all covered with hundreds of copies of the Wild Mushroom Book for the summer. Tell Chuck that you want to help him get the literature sorted out so everyone can use it.
NN. Removing underbrush and downed trees behind the Camp Office.
OO. Massive erosion control projects at conjuncture of the nature trail
PP. Permanent, professional identification signs on the nature trail.
QQ. Hand rails leading down the Stagecoach road as long as it remains in its current condition
RR. A major Resoil project next to the trading post on the side with the doors so that the foundation will stop giving way, thereby causing the loss of the building in a few years.
SS. A gravel mixture around the new shower facility which would prevent some of the mud problems in the facility and make access to it easier.
TT. Sanding of the Council Ring & the Volleyball field.
UU. Sand along the trail to the new chapel
VV. Regrassing project after camp
WW. Eventual removal of rock border in front of health lodge so it becomes handicapped & ambulance vehicle accessible with no steps or other drops or barriers.
XX. A carpenter ant problem currently exists on many of our camp buildings. The seriousness of this can be seen from the fact that some infested wood was used at the new scout office with noticeable negative results.
YY. A venomous anthropoid problem exists in parts of our camp. Steps should be used to use low impact pesticides to control these problems. Wasps and other flying insects as well as fire ants are a particular recurring problem.
ZZ. A comprehensive land use & long range ecology plan to use the resources of experts at the Ga. Forestry, Soil & Water, Fish & Wildlife, and Griffin Experiment Station.
AAA. A plan to rotate the campsites so an area is not used once every four years, unfortunately this should include both the summer & winter cabins.
BBB. Erosion, gravel and sand control project at the Archery range site.
CCC. Examination and repair / replacement of all foot bridges in camp.
DDD. A site by site examination of soil & water projects.
EEE. A massive, yes very massive, program by the Nature / Ecology department to attract wildlife to the area. This should be done in conjunction with other departments to build and deploy birdhouses, feeders, and other habitats which increase wildlife population. One possibility for this year would be to use the woodwork Merit Badge resources we have in order to offer a class in which these houses could be constructed.
FFF. Working with the Canoe Base Ranger, David Slocum, develop a list of conservation projects that visiting troops can earn there at the Gerald I. Lawhorn Canoe Base & Training Center and along the Flint River for the 50 miler award.
