SCENES seminar 2010 progress update

Kandersteg, Wednesday 19th May, the participants focus for the day was on the vision for SCENES centres in the future and ideas from some of the participants are included in the attached presentation. In the next few days, participants will be looking at practical ways to make these visions become a reality. The participants had a tour of Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) to see the practices that are in place which demonstrate good environment management.

SCENES seminar participants also received information on the history of SCENES and the key elements in the new approach to SCENES. Centres adopting the programme must have the following three key elements.

An area of natural wilderness
A programme of environment education for Scouts
Good environment management projects


Recycling is well established in Kandersteg with many points for recycling Paper, Pet, Glass, Rubbish and Metal.Environmentally friendly practices are integrated into all aspects of life at KISC – food production and the materials used to clean the kitchens. New beds are made in the workshop from locally sourced timber. There was also a tour, in a snow shower, to see the area of natural wilderness on the campsite and the surrounding area. Kandersteg offers the opportunity to explore an alpine environment, as well as a nature area on the campsite.

In the afternoon there were discussions on how to make SCENES a reality in their back home situation. Some of the NSOs present have not yet signed up to SCENES so information will need to be shared with a wide range of people in the NSO when they return home.

The discussions started with a presentation of the ideas in Scouts Canada to introduce SCENES to the 70 local campsites. The purpose of this is to introduce environment education and improve the programme for Scouts of all ages in Canada.

The day closed with an International evening when all members present were able to present Scouting in their country, particularly in relation to environment education, Scout Centres and SCENES centres.


Alfredo from Ecuador talks about his plans for a SCENES centre in his country.	Michaela Payne from UK shared her vision of converting an old barn to an environmentally friendly Scout Centre in Kent.	Wilgo Koster and Angelo Gaspar from Suriname read some information as they crossed the protected marsh on a special platform in the camping area.