Good Turn Conservation Award

Pack 7 in South Pasadena is proud to have earned the Good Turn Conservation Award this year by partnering with The Friends of the South Pasadena Nature Park.

Our pack is always looking for opportunities to engage with our local community and to be of service, but the Covid-19 pandemic made it hard to work on service projects together. Luckily, as outdoor gatherings were allowed again, we were able to collaborate with a great community organization in our own backyard- The Friends of the South Pasadena Nature Park.

The South Pasadena Nature Park sits on a 3-acre site alongside the Arroyo Seco near the 110 Freeway. Only a few years ago, the property was degraded and overgrown. Since then, it’s been restored as a refuge for native plant species and animals. Land that was once forgotten has now been returned to its natural condition as a coastal sage scrubland boasting sycamore, oak, and walnut trees.

Pack 7 began our relationship with the park a few years ago when a Tiger den passed through the property on a short hike. Barbara Eisenstein, the head of the Friends of the S.P.N.P, was working that day and took time out to speak to the young Cubs about the mission of the park. Starting this year, the Pack has sent a small contingent on a monthly basis to help in the same kind of work Ms. Eisenstein was doing that day.

Pack 7 Cub Scouts of all ages have weeded, raked, planted small shrubs, and removed trash. They have helped to dig run-off trenches and lined them with rocks. And they have learned a lot. They have seen the effects of soil erosion and learned strategies for preventing it. They have explored the life cycle and development of different species of plant life. They have developed a deeper understanding of the difference between native and invasive species. And they have discovered the simpler joys of gardening.

By simply filling out a brief application describing our work, Pack 7 was able to earn the Good Turn Conservation Award as a unit, and we will soon award patches to the individual scouts who took part. We will continue our relationship with the Friends of the Park because of the value of this work to our community and to our Cub Scouts, and because—in the surprising words of a gardening Bear Scout—“Weeding is so fun!”

By Joey Bland

Cub Master Pack 7

Rose Bowl District

South Pasadena