Forestry Merit Badge (Worksheet & Requirements)
Introduction
The Forestry Merit Badge is all about teaching scouts the importance of ecological and environmental knowledge related to forestry management. By completing this merit badge, scouts will gain an understanding of the types of trees found in our environment, as well as the necessary skills to identify, measure, and appraise trees and forests. They will also learn how to properly manage forests, preventing harm from coming to them.
Requirements
- Identify and name ten (10) kinds of timber trees or shrubs.
- Explain the term “silviculture” and name three common silvicultural systems.
- Demonstrate the proper methods for measuring trees and describe how these measurements are used.
- Describe the types of insects and diseases that affect timber trees.
- Describe the causes and effects of fires, storms, and floods on timber trees.
- Explain the value of timber and explain what is meant by the term “timber stand improvement.”
- Describe the wildlife associated with timber trees.
- Describe the recreational activities available in a managed forest.
- Explain the meaning and importance of “sustainable forestry.”
Worksheet
In order to become familiar with the Forestry Merit Badge requirements, you can refer to the worksheets provided by Fairfax County here or from Troop 109 here, or from the Merit Badge Center here. All three of these documents provide excellent worksheets that will help you understand the requirements for the Forestry Merit Badge.
Conclusion
The Forestry Merit Badge teaches scouts the importance of ecological and environmental knowledge related to forestry management. Through the completion of this Merit Badge, scouts will learn the necessary skills to identify, measure, and appraise trees and forests, as well as how to properly manage them. Completing the Forestry Merit Badge will be beneficial to scouts, as it will give them an understanding of the types of trees in our environment, and how to help protect and manage forests from harm.