Coinciding with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), this July marks the return of all-new episodes of the hit show, Scouting for Adventure; an original series based on the BSA and their flagship magazine, Boys’ Life. This high-adventure show targets young outdoorsmen, teaching wilderness skills with an emphasis on safety and team-building.

In the show’s second year, Scouting for Adventure promises to continue the tradition of top-notch television production, shot in high-definition that motivates, educates and inspires both young and young-at-heart. Each action-packed episode features short segments that pertain to all aspects of Scouting such as merit badges, oaths, safety, gear and knots. Whether it’s learning how to properly tie a square knot at Creighton Island, Georgia or emphasizing the importance of beach conservation (utilizing the BSA’s Leave No Trace program) in Catalina Island, California, each episode of Scouting for Adventure offers practical advice for all past, present and future scouts.

Season Two Episodes include:

Episode 1 – ‘Northern Tier – Dog Sledding’
The adventure begins! Scouts voyage to the high-adventure camp known as Northern Tier, near Ely, MN. From dog sledding to skiing to cold weather cooking, this trip offers some of the best snow conditions and terrain for winter and wilderness survival camping in North America.

Episode 2 – ‘Winter Survival’
The journey continues from the Northern Tier High Adventure Program in Minnesota. Scouts learn cold weather camping skills while snow shoeing their way to camp. Ice-fishing for food and sleeping in snow caves are only part of what it takes to be prepared to survive the toughest winter wilderness conditions.

Episode 3 – ‘Georgia’s Coastal Marsh’
Kayaking Georgia’s coastal marsh is a stealthy way to explore oceanography. Traveling under their own power, scouts learn to plot their course based on tides as they work their way out to Creighton Island. A night out under the bright stars provides an exciting lesson in astronomy.

Episode 4 – ‘California Camporee’
Scouting for Adventure changes gears a bit this week as scout skills, leadership and spirit are on display at Camporee. Scouts are judged on up to 11 field events, including Animal Tracking, Fire Building, Scout Jeopardy and the Obstacle Course – all taking place at Castaic Lake in Southern California.

Episode 5 – ‘Nevada Cattle Ranch’
A high-altitude adventure awaits in the mountains of Nevada. Scouts get a first hand look at a working cattle ranch and learn skills like horsemanship, cattle roping and trail riding – culminating with an horseback trek and a night spent high in the mountains and under the stars.

Episode 6 – ‘Emerald Bay Ocean Canoe’
Scouting for Adventure travels to Catalina Island for the first of a Camp Emerald Bay trifecta. This week, Scouts embark on a canoe trip – but not just a paddle around the pond; a 10-mile voyage across the open ocean, learning how to stay safe and work together along the way. A secluded beach with prime snorkeling awaits their arrival, and a campout just feet from the Pacific.

Episode 7 – ‘Emerald Bay Mountain Bike’
In the second installment from Camp Emerald Bay, Scouts pack-up their sleeping bags, strap-on their helmets and take off on mountain bikes across Catalina Island. Their adventure will take them up lung-burning climbs and down hair-whipping descents, with tips and lessons learned along the way. We’ll also see there is a lot more going on in camp with a trip to the shooting range.

Episode 8 – ‘Emerald Bay SCUBA’
This week, we don’t go over or around the Pacific…we go IN it! Scouts at Camp Emerald Bay scuba-dive in the dense kelp forests and among abundant marine life that these beautiful waters hold. An extra element is added to this already heart-pounding venture as a night dive is on-tap for the scouts. Emerald Bay is an adventure’s oasis, with endless activities and excitement at every turn.

Catch Scouting for Adventure on the Outdoor Channel. You can learn more, see photos, and preview videos at:
http://www.outdoorchannel.com/shows/scoutingforadventure/

Show off your photography skills in the Boys’ Life “Happy Birthday, BSA” photograph contest and your photograph just might appear on the cover of the February 2010 issue of Boys’ Life. What’s so special about February 2010? It’s the 100th birthday of the Boy Scouts of America!

The Boys’ Life “Happy Birthday, BSA” photograph contest is open to readers age 6 to 17. Its theme: The Five Pillars of Scouting. Use your imagination and come up with a photograph or photographs that illustrate one or more of these important BSA values:

• Character
• Leadership
• Achievement
• Outdoors
• Community Service

For complete rules and additional information check out the Boy’s Life Contest Website.

Boys’ Life magazine, the youth monthly published by the Boy Scouts of America, has become certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management.

From the forest to BSA headquarters to the pressroom to the mailboxes of more than 1 million subscribers each month, Boys’ Life adheres to a strict policy of environmental responsibility.

“At its heart, Boys’ Life is about the outdoors and about teaching our young readers to be good stewards of the outdoors,” says Mike Goldman, managing editor of Boys’ Life. “We are dedicated to minimizing our magazine’s impact on the earth while maximizing our readers’ enjoyment of nature.”

As part of its certification, the Boys’ Life workflow at its printing partner, Quad/Graphics, will be required to undergo annual surveillance audits as well as full certification against the SFI Standard every five years, conducted by independent, accredited certification bodies. All audit reports are published on the SFI program’s website at www.sfiprogram.org.

“Demand for products from well-managed forests is increasing worldwide and with today’s announcement, Boys’ Life joins a growing number of companies that are demonstrating their environmental commitment through certification to the SFI program,” said SFI Inc. President and CEO, Kathy Abusow. “Boys’ Life has taken a leadership role by supporting global efforts to improve forest practices.”

With more than 154 million acres certified across North America, the SFI sustainable forestry certification program is one of the largest in the world, with a standard based on principles and measures that promote responsible environmental behavior and sound forest management including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk and forests of exceptional conservation value.

To encourage the millions of youth and adult members of the Scouting program to consider green in every aspect of their life, the Boy Scouts of America also includes an organic clothing line, and the 12th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook, which will release late in the summer of 2009, is also green certified.

For more about Boys’ Life and SFI, visit www.boyslife.org/SFI.

About Boys’ Life magazine
Award-winning Boys’ Life has been America’s leading youth publication since its beginning in 1911. The 1.1-million circulation flagship magazine of the Boy Scouts of America has positively influenced generations of readers and shall continue to educate and entertain generations to come. www.boyslife.org

About the Boy Scouts of America
Serving nearly 4.1 million young people between 7 and 20 years of age with more than 300 councils throughout the United States and its territories, the Boy Scouts of America is the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. www.scouting.org

Hat Tip: @CapitolAreaBSA