Scouting Activities

Conservation in Action — Scouting activities at BCI’s Bracken Cave 

There are many opportunities for Scouts to learn about bats, and to help them and the habitats that they use. Listed below are some recent examples from BCI’s Bracken Cave Preserve. Look around your own communities for ways that you can help bats in your own area! 

Service projects – Scouts have participated in various service projects both as individuals and as a group (patrol, pack or troop) as they advance in rank. Projects have included:

• Brush clearing
• Invasive juniper removal
• Trail maintenance

Merit Badges – The following merit badges have been worked on, in all or part, by Scouts on the Bracken Cave Preserve:

• Astronomy
• Bird Study
• Camping
• Nature
• Orienteering
• Photography
• Wilderness Survival

Scouts from different area troops work on their Wilderness Survival merit badge at Bracken Cave Preserve

 The following Packs and Troops have done service projects at the Preserve since 2007:

• Troop 38 Randolph AFB, TX
• Troop 239 Converse, TX
• Troop 514 Selma, TX
• Troop 89 Austin, TX
• Troop 828 Bracken, TX
• Troop 512 Schertz, TX
• Troop 515 San Antonio, TX
• Venture Crew 410 San Antonio, TX
• Cub Scout Pack 343 Schertz, TX
• Cub Scout Pack 828 Bracken, TX

Scout projects at the Preserve

Life Scout Christopher Uriate and fellow scouts from Shertz, Texas Troop 512 built and installed 12 bird nesting boxes throughout Bracken Cave preserve. This Eagle Scout project will help increase bird diversity on the Preserves

To complete his Eagle project, Micheal Holman from Bracken, Texas Troop 828 organized his troop to build a 400 gallon rainwater catchment guzzler and 4 picnic tables. The guzzler will provide drinking water for white-tailed deer and other wildlife

Nick Previc and Matt Vaughan from San Antonio, Texas Venture Crew 410 lead their groups of Scouts to complete two 550 gallon rainwater catchment guzzlers that will provide additional water sources for Bracken Cave preserve’s wildlife

Life Scout Blake Woodul and Scouts from San Antonio Troop 515 built two 550 gallon rainwater catchment guzzlers

Scouts from Converse, Texas Cub Scout Pack 239 learned the value of team work while helping with trail maintenance at Bracken Cave