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 (williamshiner@earthlink.net);
Mr. Charlie Stultz, BRSR Property Superintendent; the Camp Rangers or the Campmaster.
Thanks for your assistance.Member Information
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.
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 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.
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.
Lee Spradlin
Dr. Carol Croy
Graham Simmerman, Sr.
Joey Fagan
Steve Croy
Tom Greene
Dr. Jim Chamberlain
Jim Clark
Dean Downs
Tim Gette
Chris Wiley
Betsy Stinson
Barry B. Robinson
Dr. Jim Parkhurst
Committee Meeting Minutes
August 2005
December 2005
March 2006
July 2006
October 2006
June 2007
March 2007
October 2007
March 2008
June 2008
October 2008
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