Alley Pond Environmental Center

Chapter 13 was lucky enough to get a spot for a Saturday morning program at Alley Pond in March, 2012.  Our instructor Kim brought out some of Alley Pond's animals to meet the group, and then took us for an escorted hike around the Center's Salt Marshes.

First we met Ash, the rabbit.  He seemed to really enjoy meeting Tommy and Phoebe.

Then we met Shy, the turtle.  He lived up to his name and did not seem to eager to meet any of us!

Finally we met Linda, a dove who only came to Alley Pond recently.  We were all amazed by her long tail feathers.

Luckily, after we met the animals, the morning's rain had stopped and we were able to take a look at Alley Pond's Salt Marsh, one of the few salt marshes left in New York City.

And we're looking forward to returning to help Alley Pond plant trees for Arbor Day!

Chapter 13's December Meeting: Hiking at Harriman

Chapter 13 was fortunate to have a beautiful hike in Harriman for the December meeting.  Co-Leader Trevor mapped out the route and planned a scavenger hunt for the trip.  The kids got to show off their navigating skills, finding trail markers and following the planned route.  A great time was had by all.

Welcome to Our Blog!

I'm proud to present our brand-new for 2012 Navigators Chapter 13 Blog! Come here to see what our scout group has been up to and what we'll be doing next.

For those of you new to the group, Navigators Chapter 13 is one of the newest chapters of Navigators USA, a brand-new scouting group started right here in NYC.  For more information about Navigators USA, check them out on the web at http://navigatorsusa.ning.com/.   Navigators is a non-denominational, co-educational religiously tolerant scout group. 

One reason for starting a Navigators chapter is to combat what's sometimes called nature-deficit disorder: the unmet need of today's youth to get outside.  For more on that, take a look at Last Child in the Woods . Another reason is to get kids away from the video games and into some real-life camaraderie through group activities, including service activities.

I hope you enjoy reading about our adventures.  If you'd like to learn more, feel free to email me or commenting on the blog.