BENTON TWP. - Holding a garden trowel in one hand, Jacob Baldrica used his other to guide a coneflower into the hole that his fellow Bear Cub Scouts had helped him dig.
"That's perfect," said the 8-year-old from Pack 518, of Tunkhannock, as he examined the flower. "Good work, everyone. Now let's plant another one."
On Sunday, more than 50 Boy and Girl Scouts, ages 7 to 12, joined Jacob at the Environmental Learning Center at Lackawanna State Park for Scout Day - a five-hour event geared toward providing younger Scouts with an opportunity to fulfill environmental badge requirements.
This year, in addition to planting native plants, Scouts helped weed the rain garden outside the learning center. When heavy rain cut that activity short, Scouts ventured inside for a mammal presentation that featured a skunk, flying squirrel and opossum.
"The park has hosted this event for the last 10 or so years, and it's been very successful," said Angela Lambert, the park's environmental education specialist. "It's a fun and interactive way for the Scouts to learn more about the environment."
Also at the event, Judy Adamic, an education specialist at Ricketts Glen State Park, discussed the importance of specific elements of nature, such as trees, rocks and branches.
"It's about knowing your surroundings, and knowing what you can live off of," Ms. Adamic said. "Years ago, there was no Wal-Mart. People had to use items, like this rock, and turn it into food."
Running her hand through beaver fur, Olivia Owens, 9, of Wilkes-Barre, marveled at how much it warmed her hand.
"If I was stuck outside in the middle of the winter, I think this would keep me warm," Olivia said. "And I could use the rock and branches as weapons to get food. I never thought of this before."
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