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ScoutS BSA Programs

We can help your Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA girl, boy or family troops earn any of several nature or environmental science badges. Through hands-on activities, games, and hikes through the woods, your scouts won't realize that they're learning! TNC Environmental Educators can lead your scouts in an exploration of the wonders of the natural world. Hands-on learning, close observations with live animals and artifacts from our nearly 400 acre living museum bring badges to life! All programs are marked with the season(s) they are best done in. Please check the program you’re interested in for the specific length. 

Scouts can also participate in any of our seasonal programs and learn how to make maple syrup, apple cider, review their map and compass skills, or experience the forest in the dark--if you dare! If a subject or badge that interests you does not appear below, please contact the Scout Coordinator for more information. or contact the Scout Coordinator.

    Scout Field Trip Programs

    Scout Field Trip Pricing:

     Minimum Program Fee  1 Hour  1.5 Hours  2 Hours 2.5 Hours  3 Hours
     Scout Programs &
     Seasonal Programs    		  $8 per person
     $80 deposit    		  $11 per person
     $110 deposit    		  $13 per person
     $130 deposit

     $16 per person

    $160 deposit

    		 $19 per person
     $190 deposit
     Evening Programs < 15 people  $160    $250   
     Evening Program 15-30 people      $300   






    Additional Fees:
    • Half-hour Campfire: $50.
    • 30-Minute Animal Encounter $60
    • Apple Cider Press Rental Fee: $50
    • Butterfly House: $1/person
    • Additional Evening Program participants(by approval of scout coordinator only) : 1 hour: $8 each, 2 hours: $13 each 

      Tigers


      1. Scout Trip Add-Ons
        1. Butterfly House (30 min.)
          (open Memorial Day-October)

          Come visit our new 12 x 24' butterfly house filled with native butterflies. This add-on offers visitors a total immersion experience as it introduces scouts to the wonders of metamorphosis.

          Fee: $1 per person

        2. Self-guided Seasonal Walk
          (all year)

          Grab a trail map and guide your scouts on one of our trails.

          Fee: Free
        3. Animal Sponsorship (all year)

          Help support the animal ambassadors that live at TNC, in conjunction with a scheduled field trip. Enjoy a 30 minute up close visit and Q & A session with your sponsored animal. All scout group sponsorships receive a thank you package which includes: a group photo with the animal, certificate, photograph of sponsored animal, recognition in our newsletter, species information and animal's biography.

          Fee: $60
      2. Backyard Jungle: Get outdoors to discover bugs, birds, and animals that live at Tenafly Nature Center! This adventure is best done Spring-Fall. Length=1.5 hours.

      3. In the Wild: Take a hike! On this adventure, you will learn how to be a Tiger in the Wild. This adventure is best done Spring-Fall. Length=1.5 hours (Requirements 1-4, 6 and 7).

      Wolves

      1. Finding Your Way: Maps and compasses are tools that have helped travelers for hundreds of years know if they are headed in the right direction. In this adventure, you will learn to read maps and use one on a hike. You’ll also get to make your own map and use a compass on a scavenger hunt. This adventure is best done Spring-Fall. Length=2 hours.

      2. Paws on the Path: Exploring far-away mountains. Traveling through deep, dark jungles. Crossing hot, dry deserts. The adventurers that mastered these journeys got their start on a short hike, just like the one you and your Wolf den are about to take! In this adventure, you will use your Scouting outdoor skills and learn more about the natural world around you. This adventures is best done Spring-Fall. Length=2.5 hours.

      Bears

      1. Fur, Feathers, and Ferns: Grab your binoculars and start exploring the natural world! In this adventure you will explore the world of mammals, birds, plants, and more. You will learn more about where wild creatures live and you will do your part to help them. You will practice the Outdoor Code by showing ways to be considerate in the outdoors. This adventure is best done Spring-Fall. Length=2 hours.

      Webelos

      1. Castaway: To survive in the wilderness, you need to learn survival skills long before you have to use them. This adventure will help you learn some of these important skills in case you ever get lost. Learning these skills will make you a better Scout and increase your chances of survival in an emergency. This adventure is best done Spring-Fall. Length=3 hours (Requirements 1a, 1c, 2a, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g). Fire: 3 h 30 m (1a, 1b, 2a, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g)**

      2. Into the Wild: Do you wonder what makes the howling, hooting, whistling, and humming sounds you hear at night? Do you wonder where flocks of birds are going when they fly overhead? When you go “into the wild,” you will begin to understand some of the mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects that live with us day and night and how they contribute to the world in which we live. This adventure is best done Spring-Fall. Length=2 hours.

      3. Into the Woods: Trees and plants play important roles in nature. In this adventure, you will get to learn about the plants and trees in your community by exploring Tenafly Nature Center. As you go into the woods in this adventure, you’ll learn what trees and plants do for us and for animals and why taking care of them is important to our planet’s well-being. This adventure is best done Spring-Fall. Length=1.5 hours.

      4. Walkabout: Hiking is walking with a purpose. It is great exercise and a fun activity to do with your den or family. In the Webelos Walkabout adventure, you’ll learn how to prepare for a hike, what you should bring along, and what you should do if there is an emergency. During your den hike, you’ll also have the chance to do a service project. This adventure is best done Spring-Fall. Length=3.5 hours.

      **Can add a 30 minute campfire to a session for an additional $50.

      Upcoming Cub Scout Events

      • No upcoming events


      Scouts BSA

      1. Mammal Study Merit Badge Workshop
        Learn about classification, food chains, and do a service project to help local mammals. Adults are welcome to join at the rate of one per scout. Space is limited. Minimum: 6 scouts. Maximum: 10 scouts. Length=3 hours.    

      2. Bird Study Merit Badge Workshop
        Enjoy the outdoors and learn how to identify some of NJ’s most common inhabitants. With a little pre-study (Participants must obtain and read the Bird Study Merit Badge Book), you’ll complete all of the requirements in this one day field class! Adults are welcome to join at the rate of one per scout. Space is limited. Minimum: 6 scouts. Maximum: 10 scouts. Length=5.5 hours

      3. Forestry, Insect Study, Nature Study, Fish and Wildlife Management Merit Badges 
        Please contact Scout Coordinator for additional information and fees
        1. Members: Free access for up to 3-hours (annually) for select individual Merit Badge Counseling with TNC Merit Badge Counselor (min. TNC for Two Level)
        2. Non-Members: $30/hour

      Upcoming Merit Badge Workshops

      Seasonal Programs

      1. Apple Cidering: Scouts investigate simple machines and the differences in plant parts, as they use an old-fashioned screw press to make and sample fresh apple cider. In the process, they learn about the history of the cider making from colonial times to the present. This program is offered September to November. Length=1 hour. 

      2. Maple Sugaring: Scouts learn about the process of maple sugaring in North America by visiting our tapped Sugar Maple tree. (We encourage sap tasting, if enough has been collected.)  We demonstrate both Native American and colonial syrup-making techniques. We challenge scouts to try to distinguish between corn syrup and 100% maple syrup by taste alone. This program is offered in February and March. Length=1 hour.

      3. Pond Study: Using a variety of tools (dip nets, magnifiers, etc.) scouts will discover aquatic ecosystems and food chains participating in hands-on pond exploration. They will study diversity, adaptations and interrelationships among the organisms they find in the water, and will discuss how human activity impacts aquatic habitats. This program is offered April-September. Length=1 hour.

      4. Seasonal Discovery Walk: Scouts will explore the wonders the season brings to the forest. On a walk along the trails, scouts will learn the forest plants and animals, and how they respond to seasonal changes! Check out tracks in the snow in winter, calling frogs and migrating birds in the spring, native plants and wildflowers in the summer and colorful autumn leaves. This program is offered in any season. Length=1 hour.

      Evening Programs

      1. Batty for Bats: One of the most misunderstood creatures this program concentrates on the one mammal that flies. After games and activities, scouts will journey outside to search for and listen to bats as they actively acquire their food. This program is offered April-September. Length=1 hour.

      2. Campfire: Songs, stories and fun filled activities around a campfire where no one is left out and everyone participates! Learn about the seasonal changes and forest animals, roast marshmallows, sip hot chocolate or cider. This program is offered in any season. Length=1 hour.

      3. Night Hike: Experience the forest without flashlights as you develop your night vision, play games, and listen for animals during a short walk on the trails. Stars, bats, frogs, and insects are just a few of the things you may encounter at night. This program is offered in any season. Length=1 hour.

      4. Owl Prowl: New Jersey is filled with night life and one of the more audible creatures of the night are its owls. After a short discussion about these winged wonders we will go outside for a walk in search of our night time feathered friends. This program is offered in any season. Length=1 hour.

      Accessibility at TNC

      Many of the programs Tenafly Nature Center offers can be altered to accommodate participants with special needs. We ask that you disclose pertinent information with a minimum of two weeks notice about any students that have any special needs (particular educational requirements resulting from learning difficulties, physical disability, or emotional and behavioral difficulties). This information enables us to make the necessary accommodations needed to meet the needs of your group.

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      Scout TNC to go Programs

      TNC to Go programs are designed to be taught at your location, however you can also schedule a field trip to Tenafly Nature Center to participate in these same experiences.

      TNC to Go Pricing

       1st Hour  Consecutive Hour
       Up to 30 Scouts (NJ & NY)  $210  $125
       Up to 30 Scouts (NYC boroughs)  $325*  $125*
       30+ Scouts (NJ and NY)  $350  $300
       30+ Scouts (NYC)  $475  $300
      • There is no additional charge for leaders.
      • *Additional fee is included to the first program fee for all New York City boroughs visits to cover NYC permit requirements.
      • A mileage charge of the current IRS rate per mile round trip is added to the program fee if the location is outside of Tenafly.
      • One parking space must be provided near the entrance of your location (if no parking is available at your site then a fee will be added to cover any associated garage fees).
      • Consecutive programs are programs held one right after another, for different groups, in the same location with no more than a 60 minute break between two of the programs. 
      • If your funds are limited, please contact the Scout Coordinator (we strive to make nature accessible to everyone).

      Current TNC To Go Programs (All programs are 45-60 minutes):

      1. Creatures of the Night: Discover what really makes an animal nocturnal and what they need to survive. Meet several live animals who are most active at dawn, dusk, or night. Learn how the earths surface is affected by sunlight and about the amazing adaptations some of these animals possess to thrive as they roam the nighttime landscape.

      2. Endangered NJ (3rd grade and up): Learn about the major factors that threaten animals with endangerment and extinction worldwide. Through use of artifacts and live animals, participants will learn the status of select native New Jersey fauna. Activities are designed to raise awareness of New Jersey’s over 60 endangered species, and inspire participants to practice how they can help prevent threats to local wildlife.

      3. Hanging with the Herps: “Herps” (reptiles and amphibians) are among the most under-appreciated and misunderstood species of the animal world. This program will introduce students to live snakes, frogs, salamanders and turtles and highlight the characteristics which distinguish between reptiles and amphibians.

      4. Who Goes Whoo?: Students learn how these nocturnal raptors have adapted to night flight, as they observe our live resident owl. Your class will learn about NJ’s owls’ status by discussing the pros and cons of human interactions with these powerful and efficient predators.

      5. Remarkable Raptors: Students will observe live raptors up close and learn about their behavior, physiology, adaptations, ecological importance and natural history. Hands-on artifacts and demonstrations will capture the imagination of young and old.

      6. The World Beneath Our Feet: A hole in the ground is always mysterious as it invites curiosity and wonder. Learn about the creatures that live underground as we shed some light on the mysteries under our feet. Discover what other unseen organisms might share this world and how they affect our lives from below. 

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