Introducing Technical Climbing to Groups

The purpose of this entry is to present three questions: 1) What's the level of tree climbing with the boy scouts and is there work to establish it as a merit badge activity? 2) Did I read correctly that tree climbing is formally part of the Girl Scout program or is it just an outing option? 3) What's the status on establishing a marketable name that describes recreational tree climbing? Is there one formally acknowledged?

I view this activity as perfect for the Boy Scouts. It represents a safe outdoor adventure that teaches knots, rope work and intimate contact with nature. I'm curious at what level have the Boy Scouts interfaced with it. I believe it goes beyond the status of being a "good outing" and warrants a review as a merit badge activity.

As I slowly introduce this concept to the adults in my son's troop, I find myself saying, "Well the Girl Scouts do it", in response to the the cautious parents chanting, "Danger Will Robison danger".

This leads to my final, minor dilemma. I have a difficult time describing this recreation as tree climbing. I can only justify saying TECHNICAL TREE CLIMBING. Anyone can climb a tree in the general sense. Without the experience of "technical tree climbing", the public ends up with a wide spectrum of visualizations. At one end, they recall the crab-apple tree that they climbed as a kid. The other extreme image are the friends that freaked everyone out by free climbing 60 feet. I have to call this "technical tree climbing", because it represents the thought and design put into the applicatoin of safety measures. You can't walk into your background and do a technical climb without an education on it first.

I also struggle with calling this recreational tree climbing, because it evokes the image of fun with abandon.

In my book it's an extreme adventure made safe and warrants the name "technical tree climbing" to differentiate it from other forms of tree climbing which lack the depth and detail of safety measures. As a father, I prefer that my sons go 60 feet vertical on a rope than 6 feet free climb with no protection.

Any thoughts or preferences on a marketable name that differentiates and adequately describes what we do?

Regards,
Jim

JimK

You have touched on a topic for which I also have questions. I have been told that the Boy Scouts of America have not adopted Tree Climbing because it is an activity that has yet to receive credibility within the outdoor adventure community; that tree climbing has not yet reached that point in its development necessary to be perceived as a valid and legitimate adventure activity.

There are individual troops of scouts, here and there, who occasionally give tree climbing a try, but I am told that it is an activity that has not been accepted officially by BSA. Most of the Boy Scouts that I have climbed with tell me that they are doing so in a non-sanctioned capacity.

Quite a few Girl Scouts, on the other hand, are out there climbing trees as an organized activity. I have personally facilitated a number of these groups. Why it has been accepted by the Girl Scouts, and not by the Boy Scouts, is something I have wondered about quite a bit.

As for changing the name of our activity from Recreational Tree Climbing to Technical Tree Climbing: My personal opinion is that calling the activity by another name will not help very much. What is needed is to work at establishing credibility, legitimacy, and validity within the outdoor adventure community.

I am glad that you have addressed this topic. I think that not just the Boy Scouts of America, but any group seeking safe and exciting outdoor adventure should have tree climbing on their list of things to do.

I was looking at this old posting on how to bring this activity into the BSA Organization. I have been a scouting volunteer for many years and I see that scouting has become more careful about the activities the scouts are exposed to in view of the many law suits that they have had in the last few years. The electrocution accident in VA this week is a great example of their concerns. TC has been considered as an "out of the main stream movement" maybe like rock climbing and skate boarding were a few years back.

They still believe ( in error -IMHO) that this is just a group of "outlaws" getting into trees for a kick. In one of the postings from Tengu about TC-Japan he mentioned that in Japan they are called "Tree Friends" since Tree climbing is not really translatable into their language. So the movement is more of a pro-trees group that happens to love trees and climb them to have fun. The authorities and the general public in general in this country see Tree climbing like something that needs to be prohibited because of the risk involved and the association w/ tree harvesting and wood industries that managed to get a negative image due to some of their practices. Arboriculture is not a well know activity to the average person on the street. The work of people like JimK an Jmaher, PeterJ, AbeW, and many others trying to educate the general public will in the long run make a difference but It will take quite a while before scouting comes around to the point of developing a Merit Badge for "Technical Tree Climbing". Keep up the good work. YIS
DMora. Assistant Scoutmaster, T-48 Austin.

Here's an update on this topic. Professor Tom Green of Western Illinois University has submitted an Aboriculture merit badge proposal to BSA, and it was flatly rejected on the basis that no more merit badges will be added at this time. Though this wasn't a climbing activity, it depicts the struggle. Professor Green is certified to instruct on the BSA rock climbing merit badge. His opinion is that RTC DRT is much safer than the belayed SRT used by BSA.

David Risley of Tree Top Adventures has tried to propose a tree climbing merit badge for the BSA. Again there's resistance.

We do family campouts with the cub scouts. Some kids picked up my throw weights and lines and began to toss them in the tree. They were engaged by it. I'm working to make that an activity station at the next campout. I've bought two hula hoops to give the kids a target for some aerial horse shoes. I rigged up an aerial shuffle board game for my 11 year old son. He was amused. Scouts need to set lines in trees to stow food. There are precursor skills that can be provided through games. Games enhance skill for all of us.

With respect to BSA, it's a long road ahead before RTC is integrated. These small steps will add up.

Regards,
JimK

Keep FIT - Fun in Trees

Sorry to have been out of the loop for so long. You are all correct on your opinions. The Girl Scouts have not officially accepted RTC but Genevieve at Dancing with Trees has been able to get a merit badge created for them. The Girl Scouts are able to create merit badges regionally, it appears. As for the BSA I have made quite a few contacts as I am trying to start up an arbor and training in our area. There will be no official permission from the national BSA. They are not creating new merit badges, which can only be done nationally. Local troops and councils seem reluctant to endorse it as an activity because nationally the insurance and public opinion of the BSA is very important to them. The Kentucky Council has listed it as a forbidden activity, but most others have left it up to the local troops. I have offered here and have taken many boys up but not officially as a troop activity. Good luck! It makes no logical sense to me as to why one of the best outdoor agencies does not pick us up!