Boy Scouts can't climb trees

[DadF]

You heard me right. I used to set up some lines in a big old oak tree in my yard and let my Venture Crew have some fun. But now I can't because the Boy Scouts say that trees can't be verified for safety so we can no longer use them to climb in. I am at a loss for rebuttal and right now don't even know where to start. It's like the National Scouting office has declared that Arboriculture is not a valid avocation anymore. Any of you out there have any suggestions?? I would really like to see a whole lot of protest communication being sent to the Scouts so that they may see the error of their ways. I realize that not everyone is able to really evaluate a tree for safety but they didn't even give the Certified Arborist a chance.

 

[Chuck R]

Have the boys join the Girl Scouts. From what I hear, they have a tree climbing merit badge. Seems like Scouting is moving further away from its roots (so to speak).

 

[Old Monkey]

Wow! If things keep going this way soon they'll ban pedophilia.

 

[darkstar]

brings back old memories ''' ahh the days ... my best friends brother invited me to a meeting ... by then i had learned to track and shoot as well as read a compass ... id also drank a budweiser and watched several men being shot ... upps hunting accidents ...[[[oh well]]]] to say the least i didnt like the system ..mostly i didnt like the bigger decorated scouts telling me to kiss ass when i could out jump, run shoot ,paddle and pretty much get by in the woods much better than them pansy little ass dressed up pony rich boys ... so i kicked the ???? out of the lead scout fully bloodied his lip and was pretty much hurtin him up in front of everyone in the meeting when the scout master pulled me off ...hey ? he hit me first.... i told him he was a sissy .... open invite ...... naw i didnt go back to scouts ....but i have climbed in many countries soloed ice waterfalls ... been a canyoneer and rockclimbing guide ... even now near 40 im climbing 5.14 .... ???? ....im glad i didnt learn by the rules [[[[[[[sounds like they are still having the same problem ]]]]]]]] harrrrrrr

 

[NickfromWI]

But now I can't because the Boy Scouts say that trees can't be verified for safety so we can no longer use them to climb in.

They are right. They can't look at a branch and say, "The ABS of the branch is XXXX pounds." It's CYA. I don't blame them. They are ignorant of what it takes to find a suitable branch to put a rope over.

Can you blame them?

love
nick

 

[alanarbor]

Many thanks to our society of sue happy a-holes

 

[darkstar]

no ???? ???? ????e

 

[R Schra]

liability question for um?

hum, had some rough youngster time with scouts myself. They had their camp next our land. We stored nice douglas and lork poles there. they used fir for building etc. our logs were better, cleaner and more of them... so they once 'used' ours without asking. when they were indoor for a meeting i got there, saw that nice big tower put togetehr with ropes and knutts, pulled my machete and cut it down. I was stapling our wood back again when that hopman got out screaming like a wussy treatening calling the police. right, call em up i have a theft to report i said. My farther was a bit angry at me i sliced those fine new ropes of those guys. I think a year later they had a camp weekend and they 'borrowed' some firewood stored next to them to. also a no go for me to do. so i made a nice dry pile of fire logs with drilled in 6mm blank ammo. one timer to, got some serious talk with police about that never ever again they tried to use something unasked from us so they learned i recon. if i learned a thing? mmm not sure about that.

still i believe that a rule within that scouting that tree climbing is not done is good, also i believe that treeclimbing is a good way to get those 'rich kids' a sence for this proffesion and nature etc. So i dont see why giving a certified arborist the task of setting up a course would be a problem.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

To bad. I took set up an evening climbing demo for a scout troop. After the climb I handed out business cards and told them that they should call when they turned 18 and were looking for work. One guy did and we became good friends. He worked for me off and on for about 5 years.

The boy scouts have a unique way of looking at hazards. If they can't rate an anchor they can't use it.

 

[JimK]

I believe that the best strategy with the Boy Scouts is to discuss rock climbing, which is an approved activity. I understand they use trees as anchors. I perceive that DRT is more safe and more instructional of rope use. I already sent my message via email to the Simon Kenton Council in central Ohio.

Tree climbing is an immersion into rope skills and arboriculture. It sounds good to me. I climb everytime that my sons and I are on a BSA campout. Demonstration is a step in the right direction.

Regards,
JimK

Keep FIT - Fun in Trees

 

[Stumper]

It would seem rather simple for the BSA to simply establish a guideline that all tree climbers be secures at all times and that the primary tie in point of the tree be tested with-say 800 lbs of static load prior to climbing.

A tensiometer would of course be cool but all that would be needed is to hang 3 or 4 scoutmasters on the rope at the same time.

 

[rivahrat]

well i can tell you that with all the people who make a living by law suit it makes the scouts a harder place to have good old fashion fun. i know my troop has ways around the bsa guide to safe scouting. if they say we cant do it as scouts then we just go do things as a group of friends who just hapen to be scouts. the problem is all scouting functions are cobered by a cheap insurance offered by the national office. but just like any company that is there to help in the event of an injury, they still try to get out of the coverage. so BSA just runs a list by them and if they say no then we arent supposed to do it. i know many people are trying to make some changes, good and bad. i know it just takes time, just hope in time it will be better than worse.

 

[rivahrat]

i see no reason to not allow tree climbing when they allow us to use them as a anchor point for bridges and rock climbing

 

[NickfromWI]

i see no reason to not allow tree climbing when they allow us to use them as a anchor point for bridges and rock climbing

In rock climbing, trees are used at the trunk, where they are super strong. In tree climbing, you tie up high, where they are much weaker.

I don't think your argument works.

love
nick