Boy Scout Troop #18 member Hunter Simard is one step closer to his goal of achieving Eagle Rank after leading his troop in the removal of buckthorn from the Clearview Forest recently.

 

Eagle Scout service projects give scouts the chance to demonstrate leadership while performing a community service project. It’s the culmination of a scout’s leadership training and takes considerable effort to achieve. 

 

The requirements are intensive and include earning 21 merit badges, planning, developing and leading others in a community service project and serving in a leadership position. Simard is assistant senior patrol leader. 

 

“When I was at Many Point Scout Camp I realized how many people had Eagle Rank,” said Simard. “I was really inspired to earn it for myself by the experience.”

 

Simard, 15 years old and a sophomore at Monticello High School, attended Clearview Elementary School when he was younger. Not long ago he was talking to fifth grade teacher Andrea Coulter about his goal to achieve Eagle Rank, and she mentioned the work that was being done with the Clearview Forest. Coulter is a Clearview Forest Committee volunteer.

 

Their discussion lead to Simard deciding to use the removal of buckthorn from the forest for his Eagle Scout service project. Buckthorn is classified as an invasive species by the Department of Natural Resources.

 

It took him around a month to plan the project, which included researching, talking to the people who would be involved and setting dates. 

 

The day of the removal, Simard explained his project to his group of over 20 volunteers and troop members, providing each of them with a printout of buckthorn leaves to help them in identifying the shrub. 

 

Out in the forest he demonstrated how to use the cutting tools and emphasized the importance of safety before everyone started out.

 

The effort consisted of a line of scouts and teenagers leading the way, cutting down buckthorn and then marking the areas so the adults followed them would know where to apply herbicide. 

 

It took the group around three hours to complete their goal of clearing the top half of the forest’s west section of the invasion species.

 

“I encourage others to go out and earn their Eagle Rank,” said Simard. “Plan it out thoroughly and then give it your best effort.”

 

With the completion of his eagle scout service project, he only has a couple more steps to accomplish before he’s awarded Eagle Rank.

 

Simard has been with the Boy Scouts for eight years. He and his parents, Todd and Katie Simard, are from Clearwater.