FIRST CLASS SCOUT

When you can identify trees, shrubs, and grasses, you can more easily discover all the places they live, the uses they have, and their importance to the environment.

A good way to learn about plants in your community is to spend time with someone who knows a lot about them. Your troop leaders might be acquainted with gardeners, botanists, or other plant experts who enjoy sharing their knowledge with groups of Scouts. They can show you how to recogmze the shapes and sizes of different plants, the outlines of their leaves, and other clues that can lead to an identification,

You also can identify plants by using books called field guides. Your local and school libraries might have copies, as might your troop. Many field guides include information about the roles plants play in their surroundings.

"Different sorts of trees look pretty much alike to many people; but by observing their different trails we can learn to know a large number of trees just as we have learned to know our friends. The naiural history of trees can be learned only by keeping our eyes open, training ourselves to observe closely." Handbook for Boys, 2nd edition, 1915