Get with the Land Patch
A Linking Girls to the Land Patch for Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts and Girl Scouts 11-17

Linking Girls to the Land (LGTTL) is an interagency partnership between Girl Scouts of the USA's Elliott Wildlife Values Project and federal natural resource agencies. This partnership works toward giving every girl an opportunity to participate in conservation and outdoor programs. LGTTL encourages partnerships between Girl Scouts and federal natural resource agency representatives on local and national levels to offer more joint conservation and outdoor projects to 2.8 million girls across the country.

Brownie Girl Scouts, Junior Girl Scouts, and Girl Scouts 11-17 are eligible to wear the Get with the Land Patch and receive an official certificate of appreciation from the Girl Scouts of the USA LGTTL committee when they complete the patch criteria. The patch order form, certificate, and more information about LGTTL are available through your local council and are also downloadable from the LGTTL Web site at www.epa.gov/linkinggirls.

The purpose of the Get with the Land Patch is to:

• Encourage natural resource agency professionals and Girl Scout girls and adults to work collaboratively.
• Promote girl-to-girl, leader-to-leader, and girl-to-leader discussion about the LGTTL initiative and partnership.
• Encourage leaders and girls to go to environmental experts when they have questions while earning environmental badges, Try-Its, Interest Project patches, or STUDIO 2BSM charms.
• Show girls a way to focus their earned awards when working toward the Girl Scout Bronze, Girl Scout Silver, and Girl Scout Gold Awards.

Guidelines

To earn the Get with the Land patch girls can:

1. Learn about the LGTTL partnership and the federal natural resource agencies that are involved by using the Linking Girls to the Land Resource Guide, Web site, video, and other resources. At least one copy of the resource guide and video were sent to all Girl Scout councils. Girl Scouts and leaders can contact their local council for help in borrowing or printing a resource guide. The resource guide is also available on the LGTTL Web site, www.epa.gov/linkinggirls.



2. Work side by side with a federal* natural resource agency professional in a joint volunteer conservation service, research, or other collaborative project. The names of agencies and contacts are listed in the resource guide and on the LGTTL Web site. Girl Scouts are encouraged to make contact with the agencies through their council. Some of the volunteer service opportunities available through the federal natural resource agencies are Take Pride in America, www.takepride.gov, National Public Lands Day, www.npld.com, American Hiking Society's National Trails Day®, www.americanhiking.org/events/ntd/, International Migratory Bird Day, www.birdday.org, National Wildlife Week, and World Water Monitoring Day, www.worldwatermonitoringday.com. Note: It is not required to have council involvement to participate in these service opportunities.



3. In collaboration with one or more federal* natural resource agencies, complete one Girl Scout Earned Age-Level Award related to the environment, outdoors, or science, or fulfill at least two requirements from each of three Girl Scout Earned Age-Level Awards related to the environment, outdoors, or science. For suggested awards, see the section of the resource guide called "How the Girl Scout Program 'Links' Girls to the Land" or the Girl Scout Program Links section on the LGTTL Web site.

   OR

   Learn about LGTTL national programs and opportunities such as the LGTTL Council Grant Projects, Water Drop Patch Project, Aquarius Project, or a National Conservation Event. Participate in at least one.

   OR

   Interview someone who works for a federal natural resource agency. Ask how s/he became interested in working there and how you might be able to develop a career in this field or with that agency. If possible, try to shadow this person for a few hours or even a day. Share what you have learned.

   OR

   Participate in a science, outdoors, or environmentally related STUDIO 2B destination or use STUDIO 2B materials on the Web site, www.studio2b.org and in print (Focus Books, Collections, etc.) that are related to the environment, outdoors, or science.

   OR

   Improve your skills in outdoor recreation and environmental protection by demonstrating Leave No Trace ethics, or by teaching others the Tread Lightly Pledge.

*Where there is no federal natural resource agency personnel available, state natural resource agencies may be contacted.

Girl Scout badges, patches, awards, and other insignia that are earned for the accomplishment of skill-building activities or any set requirements should be presented, worn, or displayed only after Girl Scouts have completed the requirements outlined in the appropriate program materials.

All insignia are owned by Girl Scouts of the United States of America and are protected by law for use by GSUSA. None of the insignia may be copied, duplicated, or reproduced without prior express written authorization from Girl Scouts of the USA. All rights reserved.