Eco-Friendly Girls Make an Impact through
Girl Scouts

July 15, 2004

By Michele Landa Riggio, staff writer

From planting trees to exploring underwater creatures to restoring community spaces, Girl Scouts are making their mark on the environment. For more than 90 years, appreciation and care of one's natural surroundings has been at the core of the Girl Scout experience.

Environmental Care: Yesterday and Today

As early as 1913, Girl Scouts were encouraged to consider their actions in relation to the environment. Girl Scout founder Juliette Low noted the importance of conservation in a handbook for girls when she observed "…our forests are fast following the buffalo."

Today, environmental education and preservation are still at the heart of the organization. Through the Elliott Wildlife Values Project, Girl Scouts around the country are practicing science and stewardship skills, investigating environment-related careers, leading community conservation projects, and participating in hands-on activities to learn about the importance of wildlife and nature.

A Season of Exploration

Summer is a great time for girls to explore the environment, and Girl Scouts offers many opportunities, including exciting travel adventures for girls 11-17 called STUDIO 2B destinations.

In July, a group of 10 teens and their adult mentors will travel to Wyoming for a trek to Grand Teton National Park. They'll attend the Teton Science School and explore the natural history of the region, native plants and wildlife, and conduct hands-on field research alongside naturalists. The group will also become part of a national bird-banding effort, live among the pronghorn antelope, bison, coyotes, and ospreys, and learn about the workings of an ecosystem.

In August, a select group of six teenage girls will participate in an experience of a lifetime as they travel to the Florida Keys for the 2004 Aquarius Project—a STUDIO 2B destination sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Elliott Wildlife Values Project. The girls will snorkel and do several dives off the coast.

The highlight of the trip will be a dive to the Aquarius Habitat—the only underwater marine lab in the world. Underwater, they will explore plant and animal life, and learn from marine scientists and aquanauts. During their adventure, the group will train at the Marine Resources Development Foundation MarineLab, where they will learn the fundamentals of ocean exploration and technology, coral reef ecology, oceanography, maritime archaeology, habitat preservation, and marine biology.

Building a Natural Community

Teens in Girl Scouting are not the only ones making their mark on the environment. Katie, a seven-year-old Girl Scout, recently accepted the Presidential Environmental Youth Award from President George W. Bush. She partnered with members of her East Amherst, NY community to embark on a three-year wetland enhancement project to re-establish the natural environment around a local 22-acre pond. The project, which began two years ago and continues today, involves planting nearly 1,000 tree seedlings and placing bird, bat, and duck boxes around the pond to attract diverse species.

Opening the Door for Environmental Awareness

Through Girl Scouting, new opportunities are constantly being created for girls to explore the environment. Recently, Kathy Cloninger, Girl Scout Chief Executive Officer, met with Fran Mainella, United States National Park Service director, to discuss their joint commitment to the environment established through Linking Girls to the Land—a partnership with several federal agencies that offers girls opportunities to participate in conservation and outdoor programs through Girl Scouting. In the upcoming months, leaders from these agencies will unite and reaffirm their commitment to the Girl Scout partnership.

Also coming down the pike this fall are two new environmental STUDIO 2B Focus books: Parks Matter and Makin' Waves. With these books, teens in Girl Scouting will set and achieve their enviro-friendly goals by exploring parks and the broad field of oceanography.

To learn more about how Girl Scouts in your community are impacting the natural environment, contact your local Girl Scout council.