Boy Scout Troop 649 achieves Dark Butte project
Jonathan Moor, Public Affairs Specialist, North Central Montana District
Montana, improve a privacy screen
around a compost toilet at the Dark
Butte primitive campground.
BLM photo
(DARK BUTTE, Mont.) – Sometimes, structures and facilities around campgrounds need maintenance. Sometimes, these campgrounds are in hard to reach places, like down a roadless Wild and Scenic River corridor. Sometimes, a plan comes together and volunteer groups get the opportunity to help their public lands with service projects in the backcountry. This recently happened when Boy Scout Troop 649 from Belgrade, Montana, came for a canoe trip down the Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic River.
On the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, thousands of people ply the calm waters of the Missouri every year. Monument visitors are often in search of
adventure, peace and quiet, or simply time away from the rigors of busy life. People like to step away from cell phone service and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature along the Upper Missouri. Along the way are several campgrounds that periodically need maintenance.
The Troop Leader of Boy Scout Troop 649 had been in contact with BLM Park Ranger Sean Reynolds since early spring. Together they developed a solid plan for a much needed facelift for some privacy screens around compost toilets at the Dark Butte primitive boat campground.
“There were existing privacy screens on site, but they were weathered and dilapidated, such that they had fallen down and provided little privacy,” Reynolds explained. “Another screen was deemed visually intrusive, ineffective, and needed removal. The plan was to reconstruct the ineffective split rail screen into two functional screens for compost toilets.”
Ahead of their trip, the eager scouts were sent detailed pictures of the site and a sketch of what needed to be achieved. The crew set off on their river trip in the late July heat, loaded with hand tools and spare lumber. Boy Scout Troop 649 put in about five hours of labor at Dark Butte with 22 people and left the site looking better than when they arrived. They successfully constructed two well-crafted, visually appealing split rail privacy screens and cleaned up leftover materials for the BLM to later remove.
“This project was one the Monument recreation staff wanted to achieve this year, but were hard pressed to find the time to complete it, due to the remote nature of the site,” said Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument Manager Josh Chase. “Thanks to this Boy Scout Troop for seeing this plan through, and leaving their positive mark on this campground. It feels good among all parties and the public benefits when a good plan comes together.”