Conservation Committee

The Conservation Committee encourages each scout and scouter using the BRSR to serve as an adjunct to the committee by providing feedback regarding observations and experiences that impact the Reservation's natural and cultural resources. Scouts and scouters are encouraged to make the committee aware of any environmental damage or concerns, unusual wildlife encounters, or other matters relating to the Reservation's resources observed or experienced during their visit to the Reservation. Reports may be made to:

Mr. Greg Harmon, BRSR Program Director (harmongw@earthlink.net);

Dr. Bill Shiner, Conservation Chairman (docshiner@gmail.com );

Mr. Charlie Stultz, BRSR Property Superintendent; the Camp Rangers or the Campmaster.

Thanks for your assistance.

Member Information

David Foster Dr. Bill Shiner, Chairman - Bill is a retired professor of park and resource management at Slippery Rock University in PA. He received a BS in Forestry and Wildlife (VT), an MS in Forestry (UFL) and a PhD in Forest Management-Recreation (SUNY- Syracuse). A long time scout and scouter, he is a Distinguished Eagle Scout and recipient of the Hornaday Gold Medal. He has served on the national conservation and camping committee, as the chairman of conservation at 5 national jamborees, and numerous scouter positions including scoutmaster, as well as the author of several BSA publications. In the past he was active in the North Country Trail Assn., served on the Board of Directors of the Wilderness Education Assn., and, for 23 years, served as Chairman of the Department of Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education at SRU. Bill, and his wife Gayle, now reside in Wythe County near Fort Chiswell.

David Foster - holds a BA in economics from Bates College and an MBA from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Air Force, Strategic Air Command, with duty stateside and in S. E. Asia, with rank of Captain. For over 24 years he worked for Norfolk Southern in Roanoke in various managerial and marketing posts relating to coal and natural resources. Since August, 1996 he has been self-employed as a consultant. Besides Scouting, he is active in a number of organizations including The Nature Conservancy, where he is trail supervisor at Bottom Creek and Falls Ridge Preserves, Roanoke Valley Greenways, Appalachian Trail, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Blue Ridge Parkway. He is a regular participant in a Roanoke volunteer trail-building group.

Jeff Marion - Scientist and Unit Leader of the Virginia Tech Cooperative Park Studies Unit, a federal research unit of the U.S. Geological Survey affiliated with the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources. I conduct research in protected natural areas on visitor impacts, particularly related to campsites and trails, and consult with managers on practices to avoid or minimize such impacts. With the BSA I've served as Assistant Scoutmaster (3 yrs), and Scoutmaster (3 yrs) of Blacksburg's Troop 152 and I founded and am the current Crew Advisor (1 yr) of Venture Crew 152. With the national office I served on a Task Force to rewrite the BSA Fieldbook and currently serve on a Task Force to implement the Leave No Trace Masters Course within the BSA.

Dan Brown - Laboratory and Regulatory Manager for Tetra, an aquarium and garden pond product company. I have 30 years experience in trail building and maintenance with the Boy Scouts of America Blue Ridge Mountain Council and National Capital Area Councils; the Virginia Tech Outing Club; and the Appalachian Trail Conference. I have participated in and taught numerous workshops in trail building and maintenance techniques. I have been in scouting since 1964 serving as a boy scout, explorer, sea explorer, assistant scoutmaster, first mate, troop committee member, pack committee member, scoutmaster, post committee chair, cubmaster, troop committee chair, OA chapter advisor, roundtable commissioner, regional camp inspector, and numerous camp, district, and council positions. Currently serving as training chair for the New River District, camp facilities chair for the Blue Ridge Mountains Council and camp inspector for Southern Region.

John Copeland - is a fisheries biologist in the Blacksburg office of theVirginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). Most of hiswork involves fish population and angler surveys on Claytor Lake, theNew River, and warmwater impoundments in his 8 county district. From1997 to 1999, John ran a VDGIF project documenting fish assemblages inwadeable streams across the state. This survey effort provided valuablefish community data from 197 stream sites across Virginia, from thePiankatank River near Virginia's coast to the New River and the UpperJames River in western Virginia. In his spare time, John spends as muchtime as possible with his wife of 21 years, their 2 sons and 1 daughter,and takes time for whitetail deer hunting each fall. John holds a BSdegree in fisheries science from Virginia Tech and an MS degree inzoology from North Carolina State University. John previously workedfor VDGIF in the Farmville, Fredericksburg and Charlottesville offices.In addition to working for VDGIF, John held fisheries positions with theNorth Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the Adirondack LakesSurvey Corporation, Virginia Power Company, and the Virginia State WaterControl Board.

Jim Zinck - Illinois native, graduate of Western Illinois University, retired after 39 years with the National Park Service as a Ranger, Project Manager, and Park Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent. Agriculture Specialist with VDACS since 2000 for Gypsy Moth education and compliance. Married to Bonnie, 2 adult sons and 3+ grandchildren.

Bib Garst Bob Garst - was an Eagle Scout, Vigil Member and Lodge Chief of the Order of the Arrow, and served on the Camp Ottari staff in its first year of operation. He was later Program Director of Ottari. After graduation from Virginia Tech with a BS in forestry, Bob served for 22 years an Army officer, primarily in logistics. During that time, he received an MBA from the University of Alabama. Upon retirement, he worked in the forest products industry for 10 years, and served on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Forestry Association. He has been a member of the Society of American Foresters since 1988. Since returning to Roanoke, Bob has served the Big Lick District as a Unit Commissioner, and a volunteer staff member at Camp Ottari for two summers. He also staffed the 2007 Wood Badge course, and is a member of the Council Conservation Committee. He currently serves on the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources Alumni Board.

Russel McDaniel Russel C. McDaniel - Russel holds a BS in geology from William & Mary and a MS in geology fromAuburn. He is a registered Professional Geologist in Virginia and has spent 10years working as a petroleum geologist and consulting environmentalgeologist in Texas, Oklahoma, California, North Carolina and Virginia.
Russel currently works with the Research and Tests Department of Norfolk Southern Railway. He attained Eagle Scout and camped extensively on the Blue RidgeScout Reservation as a youth, including working on the Camp Ottari andHigh Knoll Trail Camp staffs.

David Hancock - I was raised on a dairy and beef farm in Montgomery County. I received an AAS degree in Forestry from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in 1976. I worked for the US Forest Service while in college and for over a year after graduating. Since 1978; I have worked for the USDA (SCS) now NRCS for over 32 years in many counties throughout southwestern Virginia. During that time I have taught the soil & water conservation merit badge for Boy Scouts. I have served as committee chair for Cub Scouts. I have served as assistant scoutmaster and presently serve as committee chair for Troop 197 in Wytheville. I assisted at the NRCS Soil & Water Display Area at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree Conservation Environment Area. I have served as the conservation advisor for several individual Hornaday Projects. Also I have served as the conservation advisor for Troop 197 Hornaday Unit Project. I am the proud father of an Eagle Scout, Michael and have helped several other scouts to obtain their Eagle Scout rank. Presently my family and I live in Wytheville and we plan on moving back to the family farm in Montgomery County in the next few years.

William O'Brochta is a recipient of the William T. Hornaday Silver Medal and William T. Hornaday Badge. He is an Eagle Scout with nine Eagle palms and has earned sixty-five Merit Badges. William is currently a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 17 in Roanoke working with Troop elections, new Scout advancement, and Eagle projects. He has been involved in Scouting for more than ten years. He attends Patrick Henry High School and the Roanoke Valley Governor�s School and is ranked first in his class of 500. Currently, he is working on a three-year environmental research project dealing with using plants to remove pesticides from the soil.

Greg Harmon, Council Conservation Advisor - Greg holds undergraduate degrees in Biology and History and a Masters in Organizational Communications. He is an Eagle Scout and reciepient of the Hornaday Gold Award. In addition to working for the Scouts at Philmont and in England, Greg has camped and lived on the Reservation since he was eleven years old. As a Leave No Trace Master and VA Master Naturalist, he enjoys sharing his conservation knowledge with the youth and adults that visit the Reservation.