Nature
Description
There is a very close connection between the soil, the plants, and all animal life, including people. Understanding this connection, and the impact we have upon it, is important to preserving the wilderness, as well as to our own well-being as members of the web of nature.
Prerequisites
To complete the Nature Merit Badge in a compressed 2-hour class, Scouts must complete all time-sensitive field observations and long-term home projects beforehand. The official Nature Merit Badge Requirements mandate extensive hands-on outdoor field identification. Because a 2-hour window only leaves enough time to teach concepts and review completed work, everything listed below must serve as strict prerequisites.
1. Mandatory Long-Term Projects (Must start 1 month prior)
Scouts must complete Requirement 4 in five different option fields. Several of these sub-requirements take weeks to track and cannot physically be completed during a brief class:
Birds (Option A): If choosing this option, Scouts must build and set out a birdhouse, feeding station, or birdbath and keep a written log of what birds visited for a full month.
Mammals (Option B): Scouts must carry out a project that influences the numbers of one or more mammals (e.g., clearing brush, building a nesting box).
2. Extensive Field Collections & Photo Catalogs
Rather than bringing physical specimens to class, Scouts should photograph or neatly gather their nature items and bring the documented proofs to the session:
- Plants (Option F): Scouts must collect and label seeds from 6 plants OR leaves from 12 plants (or bring a clear photo catalog of them).
- Soils & Rocks (Option H): Scouts must collect and identify 3 soil types (sand, clay, humus) and 5 local rock types.
3. Outdoor Field Observations (Pick 5 total fields)
The 2-hour class will not allow enough time to hike around searching for wild animals. Scouts should do their outdoor spotting ahead of time and bring notes or photos of the following:
Birds: Identify 8 wild species in the field.
Mammals: Identify 3 wild species in the field by sight, tracks, or signs.
Reptiles/Amphibians (Option C): Recognize the venomous snakes in the local area and identify 6 wild species of reptiles/amphibians.
Insects/Spiders (Option D): Identify insects or spiders from 20 different families.
Fish (Option E): Catch and identify 2 species of fish.
Mollusks/Crustaceans (Option G): Identify 5 species of local crabs, crayfish, snails, or clams.
4. Group Discussions Preparation
To keep the 2-hour class moving quickly, Scouts should review the Official Scouting America Nature Merit Badge Pamphlet and be fully prepared to explain: [
- How plants and animals depend on each other (Requirements 1 & 2).
- What local species are protected by state/federal law.
- A 4-step land food chain and a 4-step water food chain.
- The principles of Leave No Trace and the Outdoor Code.
- The definitions of environmental succession