Profit trumps preservation for Boy Scout councils nationwide

They logged, sold thousands of acres of prime lands

for decades, local Boy Scouts of America administrations across the country have clearcut or otherwise conducted high-impact logging on tens of thousands of acres of forestland, often for the love of a different kind of green: cash.

A Hearst Newspapers investigation has found dozens of cases over the past 20 years of local Boy Scout councils logging or selling prime woodlands to big timber interests, developers or others, turning quick money and ... Full Story »

Posted by Dwight Rousu

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Review

Anthony D Weeks
3.9
by Anthony D Weeks - Feb. 5, 2009

I think that this story was quality journalism in that it highlighted an issue (clear-cutting and environmental degradation) that involved an organization (the Boy Scouts) in ways that were surprising and disappointing. It was quality journalism in the reporting of the issue, stating the facts while allowing the Boy Scouts and their allies to respond. Still, I do think that the article did show a definite bias toward criticism of the Boy Scouts. While the report included information about how much Boy Scout executives were paid, it didn't provide figures for how much money is required to keep a local chapter of the Boy Scouts running for a year. How much money is put directly into services for Boy Scouts? While the clear-cutting issue is certainly central to this story, it would help to know what kind of expenses the Boy Scouts have every year. With that information, the story might have seemed more balanced and fair.

I don't like the Boy Scouts of America for many reasons. I think that their values are anachronistic, and I believe that they are hypocritical in more ways than just the clear-cutting issue.

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Anthony's Rating

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3.9

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